Returning to the Party of Lincoln

The electoral tea-leaves of 2020 are still settling, so reading them too closely can be a foolhardy enterprise. Still, a few possible hints arise.

The electoral coalition that put Trump in office in 2016 was, in and of itself, an insufficient foundation for a durable governing majority. He lost the popular vote by a significant percentage and only barely scored the trifecta of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan to win the White House. However, in its increased appeal to working-class voters, that coalition might have contained the seeds for such a majority. Last Tuesday’s election shows that it still remains plausible, even if not fully realized.