If there was one thing that really seemed to matter in the 2024 election, it was mobilizing one’s base to turn out while also winning over Independent voters. Such is what it appears that Trump managed to do, not only winning the popular vote, but managed to swing independents to him in huge numbers.
But though it looked like such was coming ahead of time, with Independents seemingly quite turned off by Kamala’s rhetoric and media appearances and relatively favorable to Trump, the results were still stunning, particularly in the state of Georgia. There, exit polling showed a double-digit Independent margin for Trump, stunning CNN’s Jake Tapper.
His jaw hitting the floor, Tapper was told by CNN political analyst David Chalian, “Independent voters – they make up 31% of the electorate” in the key swing state of Georgia and that former president and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is “winning them by 11 points.”
Such is what a CNN exit poll of Peach State voters found, with a whopping 54% of the swing state’s independents voting for President-Elect Trump. That compared to a measly 43% of the same demographic voting for Kamala, according to the same CNN exit poll, a huge difference in a state with so many independents.
Adding to the already momentous news is that Trump’s victory among independents was a massive swing from 2020, when now-President Biden won the Peach State by a relatively large margin of 9 points. So, with Trump up 11 points this time, that indicates a 20-point swing toward President-Elect Trump.
Tapper, commenting on the exit poll and the news it holds for Trump, said, “Wow. That is really significant.” He added, “We see some incremental changes here and there. When it comes to young voters, [Harris is] doing slightly better, non-college-educated whites [are where Trump is] doing slightly better, but that independent swing is wild.”
CNN’s Chris Wallace had his own meltdown in miniature. After admitting earlier in the evening that Kamala needed “a miracle” to manage a victory against Trump, he said that he was unable to discern why so many independents went Trump’s way. He said, “I’m trying to figure out why.” He added that he was at “a loss as to how you would explain” it.
Watch them here:
Commenting on the situation in Georgia, people on X (formerly Twitter) said things like “The liberal tears are already starting to flow. It’s glorious! May they flood the streets” and “Fox News has me worried about GA. I hate Fox News. I shut them off.” Another joked, “Look at Tappers face 😂😂” Yet another argued Tapper wasn’t actually shocked, saying, “Jake is not in shock. He’s among the most fake people on earth. He knows what to expect. It’s all an act”
Another commenter noted that the momentous, 20 point change is well worth watching and considering, saying, “This shift among independent voters in Georgia is a significant development and shows how the political landscape is evolving. A 20-point swing is not something to overlook—it reflects changing sentiments and could have major implications for future elections. It’s going to be interesting to see how both parties adjust their strategies moving forward, especially in swing states like Georgia.”
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