The past seven days have been some of the most historic of the 21st century. Donald Trump was reelected as the 47th president by more than 75 million Americans and will return to the White House in January. Not since the 1890s has a president served non-consecutive terms, and never has a convicted criminal been elected.

That is where we are. The people made their choice, and it was not a close race. Kamala Harris underperformed across the board and failed to meet the standards that many expected from her brief but energetic campaign.

The aftermath of Tuesday’s results saw waves of political pundits clutch their pearls and point fingers. But now is, as Harris said in her concession speech, “not a time to throw up our hands, but a time to roll up our sleeves.” For the Democratic Party, it needs to seriously examine why so many voters refused to buy what they were selling.

At its core, this outcome can be defined by a simple adage: Both voters and the Democrats failed to see the forest for the trees.

Most voters are not tuning into cable news panels or town halls until the very end of election cycles, if at all, and are often not informed of or interested in considering the bigger picture when casting their ballot. A third of voters, according to Reuters, said the economy was their number one issue. 

Voters remember what comes out of their wallet, and there is no denying that many Americans have paid more for groceries as a result of lingering pandemic effects during the Biden administration. These voters may be working two jobs and raising their children, so it is no surprise they care more about the inflation than, for example, the threat of Project 2025. 

There is nothing wrong with voting for your financial security. However, what millions of Americans have decided this election is that they are willing to selectively trust their candidate of choice. For one reason or another, many Trump voters do not believe he will do the things he has explicitly said he wants to do.

I hope those voters benefit from the booming economy they believe is on its way. I hope they also experience everything else they voted for; a removal of fluoride from our public water system and public health policies dictated by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., slashes to the Department of Education, mass deportation of illegal immigrants and the threat of restricted abortion rights based on the state you live in.  

You may choose to believe that Trump will act on policy moves you support, but vote assuming he will do his best to act on each and every policy move he has proposed.

As for the Democrats, this moment should be a gut punch that causes the party to examine why 75 million Americans, including the majority in every battleground state, voted against them.

Democrats cannot continue to declare racism and sexism as the leading factor behind Kamala Harris’ unilateral rejection by the American voter. There is certainly some percentage of voters who hesitated to vote for a woman of color, but this is not the majority. Millions more voted against Harris because they see no tangible ways the Democratic Party has benefited their lives.

This does not mean there are no examples of policies that have benefited working-class Americans. It means that Democrats just cannot sell their own product. 

In a CNN appearance on Nov. 7, Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky said, “We are not the party of common sense. We need to start being the party of common sense again.” 

The Democrats need to take this election as a reality check. Stop focusing on niche issues that voters cannot connect with, and get your party together while you still can.

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