OPINION:
Donald Trump was elected Tuesday to a second, nonconsecutive term as president. The former chief executive’s comeback is not entirely surprising. He has made a habit of confounding detractors and accomplishing the seemingly impossible.
Millions of voters set aside traditional party labels to embrace a positive agenda of restoring faith in their country. Many have seen the American dream slip away as necessities such as groceries grew unaffordable and the cost of homeownership rose beyond their reach.
This has most affected the youngest generation, who responded with enthusiasm toward the promise of restoring America First policies that have already proved effective. An increasing share of Black and Hispanic men also grew tired of “woke” nonsense such as choosing pronouns and invented terms such as “Latinx.” They prefer to return to a saner time when male athletes weren’t competing with their female counterparts.
The public has also tired of footing the bill for the nation’s entanglement in overseas conflicts, especially as it highlights the neglect of the problems at home. Those who have been footing the bill for overseas adventurism sought an alternative to the status quo.
Mr. Trump forged his coalition with an agenda that addresses these concerns and will put America back on track. The support of former Democratic presidential candidates Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proves Mr. Trump’s appeal crosses party lines.
As the former president’s support grew, his opponents became increasingly agitated. A deranged young man shot Mr. Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A fortunate tilt of the head prevented the blow from being fatal, and the wounded candidate rose, chanting, “Fight, fight, fight.” This act of courage won even more to the cause.
So too did the legal assassination attempt that sought to bankrupt and imprison the opposition candidate. Four felony cases and several lawsuits were filed against Mr. Trump just in time for the campaign. The overreach ultimately backfired.
Americans saw the sleazy tactics for what they were, and even more shifted their allegiance. They rejected the fake narratives and hoaxes cooked up in progressive campaign war rooms.
Even the administration’s collusion with the technology giants Facebook and Google to censor Mr. Trump and conservatives wasn’t enough to alter the desire for change. The public couldn’t help but recognize the slanted online search results and notice how the news coverage offered by the legacy television networks was overwhelmingly negative.
Mr. Trump countered these plots with showmanship. He learned how to make french fries at McDonald’s. He donned the uniform of a sanitation worker and rode around in a garbage truck. He showed his sense of humor, which distinguishes him from the elitism that has captured the Democratic Party.
Even though Democratic voters selected President Biden as their candidate, party elites decided Vice President Kamala Harris would have a better chance of defeating Mr. Trump. That choice was constrained by the progressives’ identity politics, which demand that candidates be selected based on racial characteristics.
It proved to be a mistake. Ms. Harris has a long history of advocating far-left policies, and she fails to inspire the public. She is so unpopular that no daily newspaper in Washington would endorse her.
The deep state will do everything it can to stop Mr. Trump from implementing his agenda, but this time, he has something big on his side: He has a mandate from the voters.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.