Coalitions of Supporters for Each Party
US Political Parties are best thought of as coalitions of interests, and victory in elections is
achieved by assembling a strong and powerful coalition across several groups of voters.
, Key Voter Trends Apparent from the 2020 Election
Trump gained votes among black and Hispanic voters compared to 2016, however
the Democrats retained a clear advantage in both groups
Among White voters, Trump lost ground with his margin falling from 12 to 8
percentage points, this drop-in support ultimately cost him the election
The decisive group where Trump lost support and gave the victory to Biden was non-
college educated white voters, who were a group he polled very well in 2016
Overall Trump’s share of the white vote remained at 58%, while Biden’s share grew
by 4 percentage points
When it came to gender, the Democrats retained their lead among women voters
with their lead only increasing by 3 percentage points with women voting 57%-42%
for Biden
Among men, Trump retained a lead, but it was cut from 12 percentage points in
2016 to 8 points in 2020, with men voting 53%-45% for Trump
In terms of religion, Republicans continued to dominate the white evangelical vote
with 76% backing Trump in 2020, compared with 81% four years ago
The importance of white evangelicals should not be underestimated as they account
28% of 2020 voters
There was a switch among Catholics away from Trump to Biden
52% of Catholics voted for Biden compared to 46% who voted Democrat in 2016
Religiously non-affiliated Americans backed Biden 65% to 30%
77% of Jewish voters backed Biden with just 21% supporting Trump
Ethnicity
Black Americans
Most significant minority ethnic groups in the US electorate are black Americans and
Hispanics
In the 11 elections between 1980 and 2020, black Americans gave at least 83% to
Democrats
President Clinton was said to have a particular affinity with black Americans during
his presidency
With Obama as their first black American presidential candidate for a major party in
2008, the share of black people voting Democrat rose from 88% in 2004 to 95% in
2008
Black turnout was also up, accounting for 13% of the electorate
But with Clinton in 2016, black support for the Democrats fell back to 89%
Hispanics
US Political Parties are best thought of as coalitions of interests, and victory in elections is
achieved by assembling a strong and powerful coalition across several groups of voters.
, Key Voter Trends Apparent from the 2020 Election
Trump gained votes among black and Hispanic voters compared to 2016, however
the Democrats retained a clear advantage in both groups
Among White voters, Trump lost ground with his margin falling from 12 to 8
percentage points, this drop-in support ultimately cost him the election
The decisive group where Trump lost support and gave the victory to Biden was non-
college educated white voters, who were a group he polled very well in 2016
Overall Trump’s share of the white vote remained at 58%, while Biden’s share grew
by 4 percentage points
When it came to gender, the Democrats retained their lead among women voters
with their lead only increasing by 3 percentage points with women voting 57%-42%
for Biden
Among men, Trump retained a lead, but it was cut from 12 percentage points in
2016 to 8 points in 2020, with men voting 53%-45% for Trump
In terms of religion, Republicans continued to dominate the white evangelical vote
with 76% backing Trump in 2020, compared with 81% four years ago
The importance of white evangelicals should not be underestimated as they account
28% of 2020 voters
There was a switch among Catholics away from Trump to Biden
52% of Catholics voted for Biden compared to 46% who voted Democrat in 2016
Religiously non-affiliated Americans backed Biden 65% to 30%
77% of Jewish voters backed Biden with just 21% supporting Trump
Ethnicity
Black Americans
Most significant minority ethnic groups in the US electorate are black Americans and
Hispanics
In the 11 elections between 1980 and 2020, black Americans gave at least 83% to
Democrats
President Clinton was said to have a particular affinity with black Americans during
his presidency
With Obama as their first black American presidential candidate for a major party in
2008, the share of black people voting Democrat rose from 88% in 2004 to 95% in
2008
Black turnout was also up, accounting for 13% of the electorate
But with Clinton in 2016, black support for the Democrats fell back to 89%
Hispanics
