Exit polls and official election results

Trump Flips Imperial County, 86% Hispanic, Amid Historic Gains Among Young and Latino Voters

Dec 2, 2024, 12:39 AM

In the 2024 US presidential election, Donald Trump achieved significant gains among traditionally Democratic voting blocs, particularly Hispanic and young voters. For the first time since 1988, Imperial County, California, which is 86% Hispanic, voted Republican, with Trump securing a narrow victory of 0.6%. This marks a dramatic shift from previous elections where Democratic candidates won the county by substantial margins, such as Hillary Clinton's 42% lead in 2016 and Barack Obama's 32% lead in 2012. Similar patterns emerged in other California counties with high Latino populations, including San Joaquin, San Bernardino, and Riverside, all flipping from Democratic to Republican. Exit polls in Michigan indicated that Trump won the youth vote (ages 18-29) by 3%, a 27-point swing from Biden's 24% lead among the same demographic in 2020. Nationally, more than half of men under 30 supported Trump, with a 9-point swing in his favor, reversing the trend from the previous election where Joe Biden held similar support. These shifts suggest a realignment of voter preferences, with working-class and minority groups showing increased support for the Republican candidate.