The Trump Mandate- What the Incoming Republican Trifecta Must Deliver for America, the Downfall of Harris and the Democrats, and what they must do next to regain relevance

The Trump Mandate- What the Incoming Republican Trifecta Must Deliver for America, the Downfall of Harris and the Democrats, and what they must do next to regain relevance.

Donald Trump was elected on Tuesday night with an impressive mandate, becoming the first Republican to win the popular vote for President in 20 years, with a historically diverse coalition for a GOP candidate. Not only did he replicate his 2016 map, he added Nevada as an expansion state. If we are wise and thoughtful, we can learn from election results and try and analyze why the voters rendered the results that were delivered. Let’s take a look at why the Trump and the Harris campaigns ended the way that they did.

First, let's complete the Harris Campaign autopsy. Voters rightly saw through her inauthenticity. In short, she never offered a compelling message- while some of that is on her, there were external factors at play as well. When serving as VP, her public appearances and responsibilities within the WH were incredibly narrow. Her primary role was serving as the administration's voice on immigration, a responsibility that led her to be dubbed as the “Border Czar” in which she horrifically failed at- only visiting the border once before announcing her Presidential campaign. On the issue of immigration- Harris had no credibility, and the voters knew she would not take any action to deal with the crisis. The illegal immigration crisis was a real political concern for voters, yet Harris continued to ignore it. In turn, voters recognized that, under her leadership, nothing would be done to address the crisis.

Additionally, the Vice President failed to distance herself from the incumbent administration- of which she is a key part. With record high inflation, illegal immigration, and general disconnect from the everyday concerns regarding these two critical issues, both extremely important concerns that the electorate has. During the campaign, I am sure that you have seen this ad. The Harris campaign never had an answer- not one- on how to effectively counter the absolute biggest stain on the WH over the past four years.

Now, let’s turn to what isn’t necessarily the Vice President’s fault- let’s begin with her boss- and the broader Democratic apparatus. The President had originally promised to be a transitional figure, and to only serve one term. However, after a better than expected midterm election, in which saw Senate Democrats expand their majority, the President found himself riding a wave of confidence, and was determined to defend the WH himself.

What’s important to understand is that the Vice President's approval numbers were consistently worse than his was throughout her tenure. For a majority of the time, her approval ratings were underwater with numbers rising up to 55% disapproval. Both the President and Democratic establishment knew she was deeply unpopular- so much so that despite being 81 years old and showing significant signs of cognitive decline, Biden was seen as a more viable candidate for a second term than Harris.

That is until the disastrous June 27th debate. Everything changed and forced Democrats to make the swap. The main takeaway here should be that the Democrats knew she was not worthy of being the nominee until the very last moment. In fact, Harris has still never received a single vote in a Democratic primary. By holding onto power for so long, the President denied Democratic primary voters a real chance to have a primary contest, and at least at a minimum award their voters an opportunity to nominate another candidate. Voters were unable to vet a true candidate.

This situation led to what was a rushed and compressed campaign-an experiment truly. Americans often complain how long the campaign is- often stretching over an entire calendar year. Biden withdrew his candidacy on July 21- a mere 106 days before the election. This proved to have left too little time to properly introduce a new candidate to the national stage. Biden and the White House kept Harris hidden, far away from the spotlight, since they knew she was always a political liability- and when push came to shove she had such little character development.

This condensed timeline also meant that selecting a running mate had to be rushed. The Minnesota Governor was authentic, though lacked the ability to draw in male voters, something the campaign desperately needed him to accomplish. Ultimately, the Minnesota Governor was a non-factor in this election.

Life does not get any easier for the Democrats electorally. After losing at this moment four Senate seats (West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) the Republicans will have a minimum of 53 Senators in the 119th Congress, and the 2026 Senate map offers little pickup opportunities for Democrats. If all Republican incumbents announce their intentions to run, there is little chance democratic challengers can unseat them. That’s not even saying the Republicans have a peachy pickup opportunity in the Peach State, with freshman Democratic Freshman Senator Jon Ossoff potentially running against incredibly popular incumbent Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

What’s next for the Democrats? A ton of rebranding that's for sure. Tuesday’s shellacking should be a wake-up call that defending illegal immigration is not a winning issue- and to cut the crap and get real with the American people and support the mass deportation of illegal aliens, or at least at a very minimum quit embracing the practice of illegal immigration. The last Democrat to actually have credibility on this issue was Barack Obama, who was bullied by the national media and his own party for being the “deporter in chief.” Additionally, one of the only voting demographics that Democrats improved on in the 2024 election compared to 2020 was voters that made more than $100,000 annually, once again to the point that the Democratic elite never has to deal with the financial impacts of issues like inflation and higher cost of living. One of the more obvious issues the Democrats must retreat on is the transgender issue, especially in education and youth sports. One of the most effective counters Republicans had on Democrats labeling them as anti women was the transgender men competing in women's sports. You would think after cultural phenomena such as the Bud Light Boycott, Democrats would begin to understand the effects politically. It’s clear that voters saw this as weird instead of J.D. Vance, sorry Tim Walz.

Just take a quick glance at the Senate map above. Remarkable isn't it? Look at how many more Democratic Senators existed in the midwest just 15 years ago. It just goes to show how quickly a political party can lose strength and voters when you stray away from common sense policies. The one exciting thing for the Democrats is that they do get to have a total makeover for their party, and find a new identity. Clearly, the message has collapsed over the 2010s and early 2020s. There's a fumble on the field. Does someone like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro make the recovery, and guide the Democrats towards a pro Jewish vision which separates themselves from the far left college students only concerned about the Israel Palestine conflict? Or does someone on the far left such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez take the reins and drag the Democrats even further to the left? It’s safe to say that the Democratic Party is leaderless at the moment, and only time will tell who emerges as the de facto leader.The Democrats better get their act together quickly, as that 2026 Senate map is not looking better any time soon- just 724 days to reboot everything.

Now, let's examine the Trump campaign victory, and what it means for America. The President-Elect has ran for President three times, and this is by far his most successful campaign- sweeping the seven swing states and winning the popular vote by five million- a feat a Republican candidate had not achieved in 20 years (George W. Bush’s 2004 victory). The American people have delivered Donald Trump back to the WH with a strong mandate to fix our nation’s largest problems. We saw Trump build a historically diverse and large coalition- with record numbers in support from Latinos, African Americans, and young voters than ever before in a GOP coalition. The Republicans should be blessed that we have earned their votes, and not take them for granted like the Democrats have for decades. If Republicans are unable to transform the country through public policy in the 119th Congress, the ramifications will be felt politically on a historic level.

The Trump mandate was from voters who were tired from the status quo, and flat out sick of elites in this country looking down on them. Let’s not forget new original campaign ideas the Trump team produced. First, let’s look at no tax on tips. That policy alone likely flipped Nevada, a state that was crushed by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Take a quick glance at the above image. The President-Elect did nearly better in every state and county in the entire nation, a remarkable shift from just four years ago. Next, voters appreciated the President-Elect going onto unconventional media appearances, like the Joe Rogan Experience and This Past Weekend with Theo Von. The Vice President was either too afraid or weak to speak with these media influencers. The President Elect’s ability to perform well on these podcasts broadened his reach with younger men who felt increasingly disaffected paid off electorally in big margins. It is hard to not credit folks like Elon Musk in the campaign either. Musk is equivalent to Nikola Tesla or Steve jobs of our generation, and is loaded with cash and other valuable resources, including X.

Next, we must look at what the Republican trifecta MUST deliver for the American people during the 119th Congress. First, we need to acknowledge the trifecta is only possible to strong Senate candidates flipping Democratic held seats in the Senate (Jim Justice in WV, Tim Sheehy in MT, Bernie Moereno in OH, and David McCormick in PA) to help Republicans reclaim the Senate with a cushy majority. Additionally, several vulnerable House Republicans got the job done and found a way to survive tough reelections (Mariannette Miller-Meeks IA-01, Don Bacon NE-02, David Schewikert AZ-01). Representative Mike Lawler of New York received an impressive Sophomore Surge against a former Democratic member of Congress, and is emerging as the future of the New York Republican Party. Additionally, some Republican challengers delivered the party some clutch pickups in PA-07 (Ryan Mackenzie), PA-08 (Robert Bresnahan), and MI-07 (Tom Barret). All of these members deserve credit and must be acknowledged by the entire party as vital members. This all being said, a Trump campaign day one promise that must be fulfilled is the largest mass deportation operation effort in American history. When the new Republican trifecta takes office on January 3, 2025, Congress must pass a landmark bill by both the House and Senate, ready to be presented to the incoming President on Inauguration Day. The goal is for the President, immediately after delivering his inaugural address on January 20, to enter the Capitol, sign the legislation, and set in motion the process for mass deportations to begin without delay. The American people are tired of being ripped off, and it's time to deliver for the forgotten man and woman of this country.

Next, the Republican trifecta must realize it's time to demolish the deep state in this country who for far too long controls the government rather than you, the American people. Washington D.C. is full of faceless bureaucrats that are only looking out for themselves, and not you, the American people. I think one of the most brilliant campaign slogans the Trump camp had this cycle was “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you” brilliant. Even though that line was used for transgender ads, it could have easily been used for wanting to demolish the bureaucracy too. Kamala Harris would have done absolutely nothing to combat the deep state, and voters saw right through her fake promises.

I can not stress enough how important it is that the Republican trifecta gets it right this time. House Speaker Mike Johnson, the new future Senate Republican Majority Leader, and President Trump are also up against the clock. Republicans must hit the ground running immediately and not waste any time as they go to work for the American people. The Trump mandate requires it. There are only 724 days until the 2026 midterms, and the clock is ticking. It’s time to save America, the people demand it.