PARTIES - voting behaviour (2020 election stats) Flashcards
MEN
2020 stat
53% of men voted for Trump
MEN
why do they vote that way?
the gap between men and women was the largest for the republicans in the 2020 election.
this is because republican policy tends to appeal to men - in abortion, defence, law and order, gun control.
WOMEN
2020 stat
57% voted for Biden
55% of WHITE women voted for Trump
WOMEN
why do they vote that way?
democrats are more pro-choice, they favour lower levels of defence spending, and they oppose capital punishment and greater gun usage.
they have the largest number of high-profile female politicians such as Clinton and Pelosi and Harris.
Trump is very unpopular with women - he bragged about sexually harassing women:
‘When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything’
WHITE
2020 stat
only 41% of white people voted for Biden
WHITE
why do they vote that way?
this is because blue-collar workers and the uneducated white w.c feel abandoned by the political left.
the Dems have failed to woo the white, W.C voters in recent elections.
BLACK
2020 stat
9% of black women supported Trump
Black voters were key for Biden’s success in the primaries of Georgia which signified a turning point on Super Tuesday for Biden and the Dems. This is primarily because Trump ignored BLM and rejected calls to denounce white supremacy and the Proud Boys.
dems also had Kamala Harris which meant that they were more reflective and understanding of POC.
BLACK
why do they vote that way?
Trump actually gained voted in Black communities in 2020, more so than 2016.
HISPANIC
2020 stat
65% of Hispanics voted for Biden
Trump did gain votes in Hispanic communities in 2020, more so than in 2016
HISPANIC
why do they vote that way?
they are a growing demographic - they are young and many of them aren’t of voting age.
Trump was very hostile to immigrants e.g., BULD A WALL TO KEEP ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS OUT OF THE USA
some Hispanic men have admiration for Trump in 2020 because of his machismo man image
YOUNG
2020 stat
65% voted for Biden in the 18-24 category
This reduces in the 25-29 category
YOUNG
why do they vote that way?
Biden focuses on issues such as climate change, BLM, coronavirus, and so the young favoured him and his approach.
Change poll conducted in Oct 2020 found that talking about Biden’s climate plan was the best way to boost enthusiasm for less motivated voters.
OLD
2020 stat
52% voted for Trump.
‘old’ = 52+
OLD
why do they vote that way?
they were old enough to remember a different America where men were men and women were women.
Trump’s entire campaign was based on nostalgia and returning to the greatness that once was America.
he appealed to this desire.
EDUCATED
2020 stat
54% of high school grads (no higher education) vote for Trump
EDUCATED
why do they vote that way?
diploma divide - refers to a phenomenon primarily amongst white voters.
education increases exposure to different view points and perspectives - surveyors have found that college-educated older Americans are more likely to support gay marriage than those without a college degree.
RELIGIOUS
2020 stat
52% of Catholics voted for Biden (shock increase)
72% of non-religious voters voted for Biden
RELIGIOUS
why do they vote that way?
Protestant christianity is closely linked with the religious right.
Bible Belt = line of southern states from Texas to southern and central Virginia.
Trump is a christian nationalist as seen through his bible photo op outside Washington Church in June 2020 despite BLM protests.
Biden’s campaigning also helped - he ran a series of well-planned radio ads running through Christian radio stations throughout the campaign.
Dem vote amongst catholics has wavered since the 1970s because of their support for abortion which runs contrary to the Church’s official teachings.
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Trump made gains among women of all races
2020 saw him extend his vote, making a 4% gain in the BLACK WOMEN CATEGORY what the hell how does that even make sense?
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Rust belt didn’t desert Trump
Trump mobilised Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania!
He mobilised and appealed directly to America’s white W.C voters.
Trump gained among non-white voters with no degrees
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Economy was the biggest issue for Republicans
82% of Republicans voted the way they did because they believed the economy was the main issue
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Education is becoming a more prominent issue
Biden made headway among college-educated white voters in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Trump increased his vote share among the non-college educated voters.
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Trump lost ground with older votes
Those who were at greater risk of the virus showed disapproval of the president’s handling of the pandemic.
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Turnout
One of the highest turnouts in over a century
67% turnout
2020 ELECTION CASE interesting points
Mail-in ballots
41% of people voted by mail - most of the states using mail-in ballots had higher percentage votes for Biden.
