Examining the Voter Base That Sent Trump Back to White House
Ask students: What were some of the motivating issues that pushed more voters toward Donald Trump in this election? How did Gen Z vote in a way that was unusual?
Summary
Former president Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election thanks to a broad rightward shift among the electorate since he lost in 2020. But who were the voters that made a difference in this cycle? Geoff Bennett and Amy Walter discussed the dynamics behind Trump’s comeback.
View the transcript of the story.
Warm-up Questions
- What were some of the motivating issues that pushed more voters toward Donald Trump in this election?
- When did many voters feel like the economy was better than it is today, according to Amy Walter?
- Who are some of the groups of people who voted more for Trump in this election than the previous election?
- How did Gen Z vote in a way that was unusual?
- Why did Harris' strategy "not come to pass," according to Walter?
Focus Questions
According to Amy Walter, there was a large and unusual gender divide among young voters, with 14% more young men voting for Trump and 18% more young women voting for Harris. Why do you think that divide was so large during this election compared to past elections?
Media literacy: How do you think analysts know details about voters such as their gender, race and reasons for voting?
Note: you can learn more about exit polls here.
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
For More
What students can do: Play with the Associated Press's VoteCast tool and compare results between the 2020 and 2024 elections. Then discuss as a class —
- What demographic voter trend surprised you the most?
- Do you think some changes will last through future elections or is this election unusual in some way?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
2024 Election Lesson Plans and Resources
Explore our election resources to engage your students in learning about the election process and its significance at every level. Discover lessons on election fundamentals, laws, security, current events, youth involvement, and historic U.S. elections.
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