The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and not of NewsNation.

(NewsNation) — The 2024 Democratic defeat runs deeper than conventional wisdom suggests. While many blame voter demographics or point fingers at specific groups, the reality is much simpler: Americans voted their pocketbooks.

With costs higher than four years ago, voters prioritized economic concerns over warnings about President-elect Donald Trump’s character or democratic threats.

NewsNation led the way in election coverage, delivering accurate calls before other networks thanks to solid modeling from Decision Desk HQ.

Wednesday’s pivotal moment came when Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech at Howard University, formally acknowledging Trump’s victory.

The Democratic campaign strategy proved fundamentally flawed. They bet everything on an anti-Trump message, believing that highlighting his dangerous potential would overcome all other voter concerns.

Bernie Sanders identified this critical error – the party had abandoned its core message about helping working families in favor of becoming solely the anti-Trump party. This miscalculation was costly.

Most Trump voters aren’t blind followers.

They’re pragmatic citizens worried about their families’ financial security, physical safety and personal freedoms. While Trump certainly has his devoted base, the majority of his supporters voted for him because they believed he better understood their everyday concerns.

They saw him as someone who would fight against what they perceive as overreach in education policy, border control and speech restrictions.

The media played a troubling role in this election.

While NewsNation called races based purely on data, other networks showed clear hesitation when the numbers pointed to Trump. This bias only reinforces the perception that establishment institutions are working against ordinary Americans’ interests.

Trump now faces a greater challenge than winning the election.

He must somehow transition from disruption to progress, from division to unity. Real solutions to border security and economic improvement require more than just walls or tax cuts – they demand collaborative policy-making and genuine leadership.

Looking forward, Democrats have an opportunity to rebuild as the opposition party. They need to fundamentally rethink their approach, focusing less on telling voters why they’re wrong and more on understanding and addressing their genuine concerns.

The party must reconnect with working families and demonstrate how progressive policies can actually improve their daily lives.

For the country to move forward, both sides need to engage in honest reflection. Fairness and cooperation must replace gratuitous division. The election is over, and now comes the harder task of governance.

Simply demonizing the other side – whether it’s Trump supporters or progressive activists – solves nothing. Real progress requires understanding that most Americans want the same things: economic security, safe communities and a better future for our children.

The fundamental lesson of this election is clear: you cannot win by dismissing voters’ concerns or telling them their feelings are wrong. The path forward requires less judgment and more understanding, less ideology and more practical problem-solving.