So, I have been thinking about why Trump won last night winning both the popular and electoral college votes. There are those who were simply going to vote for Trump and others who would vote for the "R" regardless of whose name was there. But, they voted for Trump in the last two elections. What about those who didn't vote for him last election? I think there's a few reasons.

  1. Economy. Not much has to be said about this.
  2. The optics of a a weaponized judiciary. I am not arguing whether the charges and convictions against Trump are legitimate, rather, I'm arguing the way it has been perceived. I think at least part of Trump's election was backlash against what people perceived was a weaponized judiciary against political opponents.
  3. Backlash against the press. Once again, I'm arguing perception, not whether it is true or not. But, I think many people looked everything that was being said about Trump, and started to doubt the reporting. Consequently, part of their vote may be a middle finger to the press (as well as talking heads and some Democrats) who tried what came across as a scorched earth policy against Trump.
  4. He's gangsta! Trump, standing up with security all around him and bleeding from the ear with a fist in the air, was a visual that some people simply could not get out of their head.


Again, most who voted for Trump did so either because they vote for the Republican candidate, whoever it is, or because they are Trump voters. I'm talking here about those who chose to vote for him for the first time or those who didn't vote for him in the last elections but did in the election cycle before.