Tuesday’s presidential election may have come down to the two signature issues that defined Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump from the start: abortion rights and immigration, after months of campaigning.
Reuters reports that in more than 65 interviews in recent days, voters returned to those themes in explaining their choice for president. For many, personal experiences – as a parent, neighbor or friend – shaped their views on what was the most important.
While the sample was too small to base any hard conclusions, it provides a snapshot of how Americans may have been thinking in the final days of the campaign.
For Trump backers, the need to stem illegal immigration – a core theme of his presidency – was the No. 1 reason for voting Republican, according to those interviewed. Economic concerns and high inflation were often mentioned as other issues that motivated Trump’s supporters, even though the U.S. economy continues to grow and the jobless rate remains low.
I know a lot of people that have personally struggled under the Biden administration,” said Justin Newhouse, 23, a self-described conservative from Milwaukee.
For many Harris backers, her vow to protect abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 ruling that recognized a constitutional right to the procedure was the most compelling reason to vote for the Democratic vice president. The perception that Trump, who has frequently made racist and offensive remarks, was a racist was often top of mind as well.
