Who and why Americans voted for in the presidential elections: personal stories

The record turnout was not the only surprise in the US presidential election. Voters showed that sociologists, and even the parties themselves, do not fully understand who and why votes for Republicans or Democrats. Writes about it Air force.

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Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden will have to seriously consider whether they know their constituents.

The BBC has compiled five stories that demonstrate this (Note: statistics based on exit polls, no final results yet).

James D. Clark, 68, Virginia
Republican

James D. Clark was a lifelong Republican but voted for Biden. For the first time in his life, he voted for a Democrat. He is typical of the group of moderate Republicans and undecided voters whom Biden has managed to win over by rejecting left-wing ideas.

What does all this mean for you personally?

For me, this is the return of the country to civilized politics. Biden is a veteran and has a lot of connections in the Senate. Even if the Senate remains Republican, I am confident that Biden can find common ground with them. This is the first time in my life that I am voting for a Democrat. First time. May Trump finally go away and let me become a Republican again.

Why did non-partisan and moderate Republicans support Biden?

People are tired of a president who does not behave like a president. I am also impressed by budget discipline. In social policy, I am more moderate than conservative. Look at what this president has done in four years. A complete mess. He can't write a tweet on election night without mistakes. The dude does not shine with intelligence, frankly.

How can we now unite the country?

I’m afraid that Trump will launch a TV channel and will buzz in our ears for all four years, because he hopes to be elected again in 2024. For four years they will talk nonsense about large-scale falsifications, although there is no evidence of these very falsifications. He says things like that sometimes - I can’t believe my ears.

Taylor Golden, 35, Texas
republican

Taylor Golden became involved in politics in 2016 thanks to Trump. Like her, one in two white women voted for Trump in the 2020 elections.

What does all this mean for you personally?

All this is so exhausting, because for Trump the entire first term was a continuous struggle. He was simply not allowed to work. I can’t take it anymore, there’s no strength. I had to turn off my phone and stop reading social networks to calm down at least a little. I don't believe in these results, Biden has no legal right to declare himself president yet. I believe that everything will be settled in the Supreme Court. If Biden wins, we will have four terrible years. And the more actively we and the Republicans from our city will prepare for the next elections.

Why did white women vote for Trump?

It seems to me that white women in the provinces are gradually waking up and becoming interested in politics. Surely they played a role in these elections, there were many “women for Trump” groups, I participated in one. He has very, very many fans, despite everything they write and no matter how they try to fool you. All my friends voted for him. I believed with all my heart that we would help him.

How can we now unite the country?

There is such a split in the country, my heart bleeds. I think that only the truth, whatever it may be, can unite us. I know that among my Republican friends there are no people who are going to smash and burn everything if Biden wins. We will follow a peaceful, legal path. And this, it seems to me, is the main difference - the right does not succumb to radical sentiments, like the left, we know how to control emotions. To unite society, we must be told the truth.

Akayla Sellers, 21, South Carolina
democrat

Akayla Sellers is a young African American woman. She is wholeheartedly for Biden and Kamala Harris. So do 87% of black voters. Her home state of South Carolina provided Biden with the presidential nomination: African Americans in the primaries preferred the moderate Biden, a former vice president under Barack Obama, to the left-wing Bernie Sanders.

What does all this mean for you personally?

I'm so glad because Biden is a beacon of hope not only for Democrats, but for all Americans. To eradicate inequality in America, we need a period of normalcy and stability. It's great that I was able to vote for Biden, but it's a pity, of course, that our state is still very Republican.

Why did black women vote so actively for Biden?

Each has its own reasons. We are not a monolithic group: some live in cities, others in the provinces. Rather, we realized that it was Biden and Harris who would pursue policies that would make our lives better—they would tackle the problems of access to healthcare, infant mortality, and juvenile crime. And we all went to vote for them, realizing that this was our duty.

How can we now unite the country?

Biden will not be the Democratic president. He clearly stated that he would be the president of all Americans. When he was vice president, he was vice president for everyone. He will pursue policies that open opportunities for all, and America will move towards equality. He came to help everyone, not one party.

On the subject: Joe Biden won the presidential election: what to expect for US residents

Gabriel Montalvo, 21, New York
Republican

Gabriel Montalvo is a Latino from New York. I always voted for Democrats, but then I switched over to the Republicans and voted for Trump. So are 32% of all Hispanics in the United States—more than sociologists predicted.

What does all this mean for you personally?

The mainstream media was quick to declare Biden the winner. Nothing has changed yet, and Trump's headquarters promises to continue the fight in the courts. The electoral process is not over, the press is simply waging a psychological war and trying to make everything look like Trump refuses to admit defeat.

Why did Latinos vote for Trump so actively?

Before the 2016 elections, I was a far-left supporter of the Democratic Party. And even a communist, until he understood his true essence. I was persuaded that Trump's election campaign did an excellent job of reaching out to national minorities. It seems that the Republicans have decided to go back to their roots, to become a party of ordinary people, and not the rich from the country club. Lincoln was the first Republican president of the United States, and he helped Americans gain rights. The current administration and the president have opened the doors of the Republican Party to all Americans, and Trump has managed to convey this to the people.

How can we now unite the country?

I'm sure we can forget about our differences. On both sides there will be dissatisfied with these elections, but the main thing is that there is no violence. Everyone has the right to peaceful protest, but no one has the right to pogroms. But many here do not believe that Biden won cleanly.

On the subject: What happens if Trump refuses to recognize the election results

Christopher Badillo, 18, Florida
democrat

Christopher Badillo is a young follower of the progressive liberal movement. He cast his vote for Biden reluctantly. Overall, 18% of 29- to 77-year-olds voted for the 62-year-old Democratic candidate.

What does all this mean for you personally?

In my Florida neighborhood, the Democrats lost. So we will have to think about how to raise candidates for the Democratic Party so that they not only care about the locals, but also win the elections.

This is not the end, this is just the beginning. It's time to get to work. I will start creating the party infrastructure for the Democratic Party here in my area, so that in the end we can achieve progressive changes.

Why did those for whom this election was their first in their lives vote so actively for Biden?

I think our generation is much more political than previous ones. We are more concerned about politics, we are aware of everything. Such a strong turnout is not for Biden. People just realized that Trump is the most dangerous president in modern history. Young people simply voted for Biden as the only alternative.

How can we now unite the country?

Well, if we consider a universal holiday with songs and dances in the streets as unity, this will not happen. We will have to work to restore consent. This is a slow process, the system is completely destroyed, and everyone will have to fix it.

Republican confidence in elections declined, while Democrats increased

Many Republicans believe the mail-order led to widespread fraud. "Voice of America".

After the Democratic candidate Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election, Republican confidence in the electoral system has sharply declined, while among Democrats, on the contrary, it has grown significantly.

Baden was named the winner of the election by many media outlets after four days of counting in several vacillating states.

According to a poll by POLITICO / Morning Consult, after these reports, 70% of Republicans said that they did not believe that the elections were free and fair, which is significantly more than 35% who held this point of view before the elections.

At the same time, confidence in the electoral system has grown among Democrats, many of whom took to the streets on Saturday to celebrate Biden's victory. 90% of Democrats consider the elections to be free and fair, while before November 3, only 52% believed that they would be.

Among Republicans who believe the elections were not fair and free, 78% believe mail-order voting led to widespread fraud, and 72% believe that ballot tampering took place.

Of those who believe the election was not fair, the majority (84%), like President Donald Trump, believe that Biden benefited from it.

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