The electorate was deeply dissatisfied with the status quo. Seventy-five percent of voters said inflation has caused “hardship” for their family in the past year. Sixty-eight percent described the economy as “not so good” or “poor,” compared with only 31 percent who called it “good” or “excellent.” Eleven percent of voters described immigration as the “most important issue,” and 90 percent of those voters went for Trump—by far the largest margin for either candidate on any issue asked about. Given such responses, it’s unsurprising that voters gave President Biden a net approval rating of minus-19 points—far worse than the favorability rating of either candidate.

While exit polling didn’t specifically ask about trans policies in schools and sports, school closures, or any other issues that particularly affected kids, exit polling showed a 15-point swing among voters with children under 18—such parents went from backing Biden by 6 points in 2020 to backing Trump by 9 points in 2024. No similar move was found among voters without children under age 18 (Trump fared just 1 point better with such voters this time than last, losing by 1 point rather than by 2 points), suggesting that parents’ votes were informed by more than just economic concerns.