Summary
A post-election survey by Priorities USA found that voters in key swing states prioritized economic concerns like inflation over Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol attack.
Many did not view Trump as a continued threat to democracy, including key Biden-to-Trump voters.
Efforts by Kamala Harris’ campaign to highlight Trump’s authoritarian tendencies failed to resonate, as Trump’s image as a “successful businessman” persisted.
Democrats underestimated voters’ lack of hostility toward Trump, particularly among younger non-white voters, complicating their strategy in the 2024 election.
I don’t know if you’re being sarcastic, but I feel all of those options are reductionist in some capacity and creates an illusion that a single tactical change would have altered the outcome. An election and what it takes to sway opinion is multifaceted and requires a diversity of tactics. To me, the problem is systemic and embedded in the party, which encompasses several of the points you think I solely blame. Namely, the oligarchic control over the party via delegates and super-delegates creates a dichotomy between the party’s base of support and the desires of the billionaires holding the purse strings.