Trump Lost to Himself - WSJ Editorial. OK, it IS the WSJ..
Donald Trump launched a personal attack on Mitch McConnell this week after the Senate GOP leader called the former President practically and morally responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Mr. McConnell doesnt need our defense, but we hope GOP voters arent buying Mr. Trumps attempt to rewrite the history of the 2020 election. Mr. Trumps statement didnt claim that he won the election, but it did begin to burnish the result by taking credit for every GOP victory while boasting that he received the most votes of any sitting President in history, almost 75,000,000. Joe Biden still beat him by more than seven million votes.
As important is why he lost, and for that look no further than Mr. Trumps own pollster, Tony Fabrizio. His firms post-election analysis was first reported by Politico, but its worth resurfacing for Republicans to ponder. Mr. Fabrizio looked at data from exit polls and APs VoteCast in 10 highly competitive states that Mr. Trump won in 2016. Mr. Trump lost five of them in 2020Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsinwhile winning Iowa, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas a second time.
One stunning conclusion: Mr. Trump lost even though the electorate was more Republican in 2020 than in 2016. Mr. Fabrizio reports that Mr. Trump lost largely due to a massive swing among independents and erosion among Republicans. This helps explain how the GOP gained a dozen seats in the House even as Mr. Trump became the first President to lose re-election since George H.W. Bush.
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Mr. Trump was favored 6 to 1 or more among voters on the economy. But the coronavirus was the top voter issue in both groups of states, and Mr. Biden carried those voters 3 to 1. Mr. Trumps eroded credibility and inability to maintain a consistent Covid message may have been decisive. More startling is that Mr. Trump suffered his greatest erosion with white voters, particularly white men in both state groups, according to the Fabrizio analysis. This offset his double digit gains with Hispanics while he performed about as well with blacks as he did in 2016. The former President also lost ground with nearly every age group in both sets of states, and he suffered with white college educated voters across the board.
Mr. Trump had many accomplishments to tout, and voters recognized them. But Mr. Bidens consistent campaign message of a return to a calmer, more unifying politics resonated with millions of voters who had tired of the constant Trump turmoil.
Mr. Trump didnt lose to Joe Biden. He lost to himself.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lost-to-himself-11613691782 (subscription)
SWBTATTReg
(22,114 posts)shutting up for one second. Serves him right. But IMHO, I think Biden's massive qualifications had a lot to do w/ trump's loss too.
fierywoman
(7,683 posts)rickyhall
(4,889 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,368 posts)to Joe Biden.
Just sayin' ...
Aristus
(66,328 posts)candidate, a better public servant, a better listener, a better decision-maker, a better man, and a better human being.
Please don't do that; that would break my heart...