Official announcement from the Democratic National Committee (DNC)

Trump Defeats Harris in 2024; Democrats Face Strategy Scrutiny as Harris Garners 68 Million Votes

Nov 7, 2024, 12:11 PM

Donald Trump has won the 2024 U.S. presidential election, defeating Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Harris secured approximately 68 million votes, significantly less than Joe Biden's record-breaking 81 million votes in 2020. In contrast, Barack Obama received 69 million votes in 2008 and 65 million in 2012, while Hillary Clinton garnered 65 million in 2016. The election results have prompted discussions about voter turnout and the Democratic Party's strategy. Some of Harris's supporters are expressing frustration over Biden's late decision to seek reelection, which they believe contributed to the loss. Additionally, there is scrutiny over the disparity between Biden's 2020 vote count and Harris's 2024 results, raising questions about voter engagement and demographic shifts, especially as the number of registered voters remained consistent across both elections. Harris's campaign has also faced a scandal involving campaign debt after reportedly paying celebrities to perform at rallies to inflate attendance numbers. Furthermore, analysts suggest the seeds of Harris's failure were planted eight years ago, when the Democratic Party, in response to Trump's 2016 victory, moved away from the political center rather than toward it. Black American communities, which overwhelmingly supported Harris, are reacting to Trump's victory, as his campaign had made efforts to court Black men.