1. Many are dissatisfied with the development in the USA
A large majority of the US population believes that the development in the country has gone in the wrong direction with the Democrats' Joe Biden as president. 73 percent of Americans in CNN's exit poll say they are dissatisfied or angry about the development in the USA.
The election result is a vote against both the sitting president and the administration, but also against the development the country is heading in, says US expert Erik Åsard, professor emeritus at Uppsala University.
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2. Memory is short
Donald Trump was unusually unpopular when he sat as president, just like the current president Joe Biden. But in retrospect, voters view his time in the White House in a different light. In a CNN survey in March, 55 percent described his presidency as successful, something only 41 percent thought in January 2021.
Many voters also do not care that Trump is a convicted criminal who repeatedly lied.
There is so much talk about his behavior, trials, and verdicts, and yet he was successful. People seem to be able to put all this aside because they know that – or they believe that – his policy is ultimately the best for them and the country, says Todd Landman, US expert and professor at the British University of Nottingham.
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3. Successful mobilization of voters
In the previous election, Trump was critical of mail-in and early voting. This time, the campaign has encouraged voters to vote early. Trump has also managed to get voters who otherwise stay on the couch to go to the polling stations.
He didn't try to build a coalition that went beyond his voter base. Instead, he tried to make his voter base larger, and it seems to have been successful in the sense that it gave energy and mobilized, above all, young men, says Landman.
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4. Focus on economy and immigration
The economy is the most important issue for voters, followed by democracy and immigration, according to exit polls. Voters generally believe that Republicans are strongest on economy and immigration. Despite high growth rates, low unemployment figures, and falling inflation, people still have low disposable incomes.
People feel they're not getting ahead. They have to work harder for the same money, and things cost more. Trump has hammered in that message. And on the immigration issue, we knew Harris would be weak and vulnerable, says Landman.
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5. Many like "USA first"
Many Americans agree with Trump's message of putting the USA first.
They don't care much about what's happening in Ukraine. What Trump says about NATO and that members should pay their share appeals to voters. They don't want the USA to carry the rest of the world. It's a kind of nationalist/isolationist attitude, and then they forgive Trump for everything else because they believe he will be strong in those areas, says Landman.
