Trump's Victory: The California Factor

The Comeback King

Donald Trump is back in the White House, pulling off one of the biggest political comebacks in American history.

In a sweeping win, Trump flipped pretty much every major swing state to beat Vice President Kamala Harris. With this victory, he becomes the 45th and 47th president, joining Grover Cleveland as the only other President to serve non-consecutive terms.

This comeback is remarkable, considering Trump left office in January 2021 with rock-bottom approval ratings and a cloud of controversy. He faced not one but two impeachments, four indictments, two assassination attempts, and a wild move by the Democrats to swap out their nominee just over 100 days before the election.

Orange County Impact

Donald Trump didn’t come out on top in California, but he did make some waves in conservative-leaning Orange County. Right now, he’s ahead by over 17,000 votes—a big deal for a place that’s been leaning more Democratic in recent years. This shift highlights how voter preferences in Orange County are changing and could shake up strategies for future elections.

Trump’s Surprising Popular Vote Surge: What Changed?

Social media is buzzing, and people can’t stop talking about Trump’s lead in the popular vote—by over 4.8 million votes at last count. Sure, the electoral college is what ultimately decides the presidency, but when Democrats typically clean up in the popular vote, it makes you wonder: what changed?

2024 California Turnout- So Far

California’s voter turnout might shed some light.

• As of this writing, only 44% of eligible voters showed up on November 5.

• Yes, that number should increase as more absentee ballots come in, but that does seem low even for first-election counts/ ballot dumps.

• When all was said and done in 2020, 80% of eligible voters in California cast their ballots.

  

• Harris has managed to secure 5.6 million votes this time around in California (thus far).

• Trump has just under 4 Million Votes (in 2020 that number was 6 Million).

• When the final tally came in 2020, Joe Biden got 11.1 million votes in California.

What’s Next

So yes, at this point, California's voter turnout in the 2024 election appears lower than in previous years. And perhaps, the California GOP should take note of the results:

• This lower turnout and possible dip in support for Kamala Harris could open a door for the California GOP in the 2026 governor’s race.

• It might be time for Republicans to start planning early and put forward a strong candidate who can connect with a wider range of voters.

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California Election Headlines

📌Nathan Hochman has defeated incumbent George Gascón in the Los Angeles County district attorney race, marking a significant shift in the county's approach to criminal justice.

📌Prop 36, the ballot measure aimed at reversing some of California's most debated soft-on-crime policies, passed by a wide margin in Tuesday’s election.

📌In the closely watched San Francisco mayoral race, political newcomer Daniel Lurie has taken a narrow lead over incumbent London Breed.

📌Incumbent San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria holds a significant lead over challenger Larry Turner in the mayoral race.

📌 In Orange County, the race for California's 45th Congressional District incumbent Republican Michelle Steel has a lead over Democratic challenger Derek Tran.

📌Governor Newsom vows to work with incoming Trump administration: