Trump’s Victory Fueled by Latino, Youth, and Female Voters, Says Der Spiegel

Donald Trump’s electoral victory has been attributed to a surge in support from several key voter demographics, including Latin American citizens, younger voters, and women, according to Der Spiegel.

Despite his repeated promises to expel illegal Latino immigrants and complete the border wall with Mexico, 45% of Latinos with U.S. citizenship cast their votes for the Republican candidate, compared to 25% for Kamala Harris. This marks a notable increase from the 32% of Latino voters who supported Trump in 2020.

Trump also made significant gains among younger voters. Among those aged 18 to 29, the 78-year-old Republican candidate closed the gap with Harris by 11 percentage points. In the 45-to-64 age group, his advantage grew substantially, shifting from a 1-point lead to an 8-point edge.

While Harris focused heavily on the abortion issue to mobilize female voters, Trump’s support among women surpassed that of men, according to preliminary data. His backing also grew among voters without a college degree, signaling a broadening of his base.

On the other hand, Harris drew significant support from Black voters, reflecting her focus on issues of racial justice and equality.

Why the Shift?

Der Spiegel suggests that one of the main reasons for Trump’s increased support could be economic frustration. “It’s the economy, stupid,” the article argues, noting that nearly three-quarters of Trump voters cited inflation as the main source of their financial struggles over the past year. Despite recent inflation dropping to just 2.4%, many voters still associate rising prices with the energy crisis and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which significantly impacted household budgets in 2022.

Meanwhile, Harris’ supporters prioritized concerns about the state of democracy, reflecting the growing unease about political stability under the current administration. However, Trump appears to have more effectively mobilized his base by tapping into economic frustrations, while Harris struggled to rally voters around democracy-related issues.

Ultimately, Der Spiegel suggests that Trump’s success lies in his ability to address the economic concerns of everyday voters, whereas Harris and Biden’s focus on democracy and social issues didn’t resonate as strongly with key groups, particularly among those feeling the pinch of inflation.