Inflation and immigration were the top issues for voters, with many feeling Democrats didn't address these concerns effectively. The 'they/them' ad also resonated, suggesting Harris prioritized progressive cultural issues over economic urgency.
Latino voters were particularly concerned about the number of illegal border crossings, viewing it as a significant issue that Democrats failed to handle adequately.
The debt became a stand-in for inflation, with voters, especially Latino voters, feeling economic pressure and associating government spending with their personal financial struggles.
The campaign failed to raise the salience of reproductive issues and abortion effectively, which were key for this demographic. Trump's distancing from extreme policies also made the Democratic attack less credible.
The party needs to disprove misconceptions about its extreme positions, particularly on cultural issues. They should focus on economic issues that matter most to voters and avoid giving airtime to extreme views within the party.
Tara begins the pod with an update on Donald Trump’s cabinet selections as his transition team prepares for Inauguration Day. She’s then joined by pollster and founding partner of Slingshot Strategies, Evan Roth Smith, to go through the numbers and break down how Kamala Harris lost the presidential election. They examine which of the gettable voter bases leaned to the right on election day, shine a light on some of Kamala’s political missteps during her campaign, and Evan offers some sobering advice to his Democratic colleagues on how to move forward as a party after this historic loss.
For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalmeri and use the discount code TARA20.
Host: Tara Palmeri
Guest: Evan Roth Smith
Producer: Chris Sutton
Production Supervision: Conor Nevins
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