Even day 1 Trump supporters couldn’t believe this.
In the 2024 election, the traditionally blue states of New York and New Jersey experienced some of the most significant shifts toward President-elect Donald Trump, making headlines for their unexpected movement in favor of the Republican Party. According to Dave Wasserman, a senior elections analyst at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, New York saw an 11.5% swing toward Trump, while New Jersey experienced a 10.1% shift compared to the 2020 election results. These substantial gains in two of the most Democratic-leaning states are a clear indicator of the growing appeal of Trump’s message among voters in historically liberal regions.
Other states where Trump made strong inroads included Florida (9.8%), Massachusetts (8.7%), and California (8.4%), along with Texas, Mississippi, and several others. While these states showed marked shifts, the results in New York and New Jersey were particularly noteworthy, as Republicans have not won New Jersey since 1988, and New York has not gone Republican since Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide victory.
The Republican Party’s success in these states is being credited to Trump’s appeal among working-class voters, many of whom feel left behind by the Democratic Party’s focus on progressive, far-left policies. New Jersey GOP Chairman Bob Hugin emphasized that the working class, in particular, has been abandoned by the Democrats, and that Trump’s message resonates deeply with these voters. He believes that this shift presents an opportunity for Republicans to govern effectively in the state.
In New York, GOP Chairman Ed Cox pointed to Trump’s leadership in redefining the Republican Party, highlighting how he has expanded the party’s coalition by attracting working-class voters, young people, and minorities who are dissatisfied with the status quo. Cox argued that New York, while still a blue state, is a state of working-class people who are more focused on economic opportunity, safe neighborhoods, and practical solutions than on the radical policies being pushed by Democrats in Albany and Washington.
Trump’s campaign made a direct appeal to these voters, holding massive rallies in both states, including a record-breaking rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, with an estimated crowd of 80,000 to 100,000 people. The energy in these rallies underscored the broadening appeal of Trump’s message and his ability to connect with voters who feel ignored by the political establishment. With these results, the 2024 election has shown that even in the heart of blue America, Republicans have made significant strides, and the battle for the future of the country is shifting.