'Democrats Lost Them': Here's Why 2020 Biden Voters Sat Out The 2024 Election (Rolling Stone)

[Self Esteem]

92. The responses to this thread are baffling.

It's like everyone here as amnesia.

We've seen in multiple elections - from 2000 with Nader to 2016 with Stein - that voters typically only vote on issues that matter the most to them. We can lecture these voters all we want but I am just perplexed why anyone is surprised by this? I know everyone here discounted the polls (which were more right than wrong) but every pre-election poll throughout 2024, whether with Biden or Harris as the nominee, had red flags that you all continually ignored.

The polls that showed Trump improving among Black men? Nonsense. Why would a Black person vote for a known racist?

The polls that showed Biden, and then Harris doing worse among Hispanics than any Democrat in maybe ever? Yeah, again not reliable!

The polls that showed younger voters were either apathetic or shifting to Trump? Again, no way! That ain't going to happen!

Everyone routinely buried their heads throughout 2024 and now act surprised that what these polls told us was going to happen actually happened.

Democratic-leaning voters are not immune to being selfish voters. I'd wager a majority of this country votes solely on how they perceive the issues - not how the issues will impact a stranger a few states over.

For some, they voted solely on inflation. The cost of living was cheaper under Trump, it's now higher under Biden, ergo as much as I don't like Trump, he can get prices back down to pre-2021 levels.

It's not logical but it's a mistake to think voters vote on logic. They don't. They vote on emotion. They always have. And voters were largely angry in 2024. Generally, anger does not benefit the incumbent party.

It didn't in 2020.

It didn't in 2016.

It didn't in 2008.

It didn't in 1992.

It didn't in 1980.

It didn't in 1968.

Voters were angry at prices. Voters were angry at what was happening in Israel. Voters were angry at what was happening in Ukraine.

Again, it's not logical but it's expected.

The only reason Biden won in 2020 was because voters were angry at Trump, Exit polls were clear: nearly 70% of Biden voters cast their vote not for Joe Biden but against Donald Trump. Only 30% of Trump voters said they voted against Biden and not for Trump.

In 2024, a lot of Americans weren't mad at Trump as much as they had been four years earlier. They were now more mad at Biden and yes, that included voters who supported Biden in 2020. And because Harris was always going to be an extension of Biden, a lot of 'em were mad at her too.

Some came back. I believe Harris won more of these voters over than Biden ever could have - but it wasn't enough.

And it shouldn't shock anyone.