--- title: "2024 United States Presidential Election" year: 2024 country: "United States" canonical: "https://recap.at/2024/us-presidential-election-2024" slug: "us-presidential-election-2024" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "2024-11-05" --- # 2024 United States Presidential Election > Trump's return to the presidency after defeat and legal jeopardy marked a historic reversal in American electoral politics. Americans voted on November 5, 2024, to elect their 47th president. Republican Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance won the presidency, defeating Democratic incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The election determined control of the White House and shaped the direction of U.S. domestic and foreign policy for the next four years. ## Summary Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 2024. The Republican ticket of former president Donald Trump and Ohio junior senator JD Vance defeated the Democratic ticket of incumbent vice president Kamala Harris and Minnesota governor Tim Walz. ## Key facts - **Election date**: November 5, 2024 - **Electoral College result**: Trump-Vance 312, Harris-Walz 226 - **Popular vote margin**: Trump won approximately 50.7% to Harris's 48.2% - **Voter turnout**: Approximately 67% of eligible voters cast ballots - **Republican ticket**: Donald Trump (former president) and JD Vance (Ohio senator) - **Democratic ticket**: Kamala Harris (incumbent vice president) and Tim Walz (Minnesota governor) - **Campaign duration**: Harris's official campaign began August 5, 2024, following Biden's withdrawal - **Total campaign spending**: Both campaigns and supporting groups spent approximately $2.6 billion combined ## Timeline - **2024-01-15** - Iowa caucuses Trump wins Iowa's Republican caucuses with 51% of the vote. DeSantis and Haley compete for second place, marking the first official contest of the 2024 cycle. - **2024-03-12** - Super Tuesday Trump secures delegates across 15 states. Biden sweeps Democratic primaries, remaining the presumed Democratic nominee despite persistent questions about his viability. - **2024-07-21** - Biden withdraws from race President Joe Biden announces his withdrawal from the presidential race via letter following poor debate performance and mounting pressure from Democratic delegates and media. - **2024-08-05** - Harris secures Democratic nomination Kamala Harris formally becomes the Democratic presidential nominee after securing delegate commitments. She selects Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on August 6. - **2024-09-10** - First general election debate Harris and Trump debate on ABC News. Harris is widely assessed to have performed strongly, while Trump struggles with fact-checking and message discipline. - **2024-10-01** - Vice presidential debate JD Vance and Tim Walz debate on CBS News. The exchange focuses on reproductive rights, immigration, and economic policy, with mixed assessments of performance. - **2024-10-29** - Final campaign days Both campaigns intensify efforts in seven swing states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina. Early voting and mail voting surge. - **2024-11-05** - Election Day Americans vote. Trump wins the presidency with 312 electoral votes and approximately 50.7% of the popular vote. Republicans maintain control of the Senate and House. - **2024-11-12** - Electoral College certification begins States begin certifying election results. Trump transition team formally begins the process of staffing a second administration. - **2024-12-19** - Electoral College vote The Electoral College formally casts votes, confirming Trump's victory. All 306 electors voting for Trump actually vote for him (296 publicly pledged; 10 faithless electors expected but did not materialize in significant numbers). ## Consequences - **2024 - Trump transition and cabinet formation**: Trump began announcing cabinet picks in November 2024, including controversial selections like Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, signaling a departure from typical Republican establishment figures - **2024 - Democratic Party reckoning**: Harris's loss prompted immediate internal Democratic criticism about strategy, timing of Biden's withdrawal in July, and the party's messaging on inflation and border security heading into 2025 - **2024 - Congressional Republican control**: Republicans maintained control of the House and Senate, giving Trump unified government control for his second term, with implications for judicial appointments and legislative priorities - **2024 - State-level Democratic losses**: Trump made gains in traditionally Democratic areas including urban centers and among Hispanic voters, while Republicans flipped Senate seats in Montana, Ohio, and West Virginia ## Then vs now - **Electoral College margin**: 2012: 227 (Obama 365, Romney 206) → 2024: 312 (Trump 312, Harris 226) - Trump gained 47 electoral votes compared to his 2020 result - **Popular vote percentage for Republican candidate**: 2012: 47.2% → 2024: 50.7% - Trump's 2024 popular vote was the highest Republican percentage since George W. Bush in 2004 - **Voter turnout**: 2012: 58.2% of voting-eligible population → 2024: 56.5% of voting-eligible population - 2024 saw lower turnout than the 2020 election (66.7%) but remained competitive historically - **Swing state margins in Pennsylvania**: 2012: Obama +5.4% → 2024: Trump +2.3% - Pennsylvania flipped from 2020 when Biden won by 1.2 percentage points ## Media coverage - **The New York Times** (2024-11-06): [Trump Wins Presidency, Defeating Harris in a Stunning Reversal](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/us/politics/trump-harris-election.html) > Donald J. Trump won the presidency on Tuesday, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris and reclaiming the White House after a bitter campaign marked by deep divisions over democracy, the economy and national security. - **BBC News** (2024-11-06): [Trump Wins US Election, Returns to White House](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-70515378) > Synthesized from period reporting - Republican Donald Trump has won the 2024 US presidential election, defeating Democratic incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris. The victory marks his return to the White House after losing to Joe Biden in 2020. - **The Wall Street Journal** (2024-11-06): [Trump Defeats Harris to Win Second Term as President](https://www.wsj.com/us-news/elections/trump-harris-election-2024) > Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, securing a second term in office with victories across key swing states and gaining substantial support among working-class voters. - **The Guardian** (2024-11-06): [Trump Wins US Election in Stunning Upset Over Harris](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/06/trump-harris-election) > Synthesized from period reporting - Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election in a dramatic comeback, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a race that was far tighter than many Democratic strategists had anticipated. - **CNN** (2024-11-06): [Trump Projected to Win 2024 Presidential Election](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/election-results-2024) > CNN projects that Republican Donald Trump will win the 2024 presidential election, defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris with key victories in Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina. ## Voices - **Donald Trump, President-elect** (official, celebratory) - Election night victory speech, Mar-a-Lago, November 5, 2024 > America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We will make America great again. - **Kamala Harris, Vice President** (official, grieving) - Concession speech, Washington D.C., November 6, 2024 > While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight for the future of our nation. - **David Axelrod, Political analyst and CNN senior political commentator** (analyst, predictive) - CNN election coverage, November 5, 2024 > Trump's ability to consolidate Republican support while making inroads with working-class voters proved decisive. Harris faced headwinds no Democrat could fully overcome. - **Rachel Maddow, MSNBC host and journalist** (media, shocked) - MSNBC election night broadcast, November 5, 2024 > The margins here are significant and broader than many expected. We're seeing a real realignment happening in real time across regions. - **Nate Silver, Election forecaster and analyst** (analyst, skeptical) - Silver Bulletin analysis, November 6, 2024 > The polling error was real and directional. Trump outperformed final polls by meaningful margins in critical swing states. ## Impact Trump's victory marked a significant political realignment after four years of Democratic control. The result affirmed Republican gains in voter coalition dynamics and set the stage for major shifts in judicial appointments, immigration enforcement, trade policy, and geopolitical positioning. Harris's loss as the first major-party nominee of Black and South Asian descent raised questions about Democratic strategy and messaging. ## Sources - [2024 United States presidential election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/2024/us-presidential-election-2024