2024 United States Presidential Election (A Cross of Gold)

The 2024 United States Presidential Election was the 60th quadrennial presidential election in the United States, held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The Republican ticket of media personality Tucker Carlson and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley defeated the Democratic ticket of California Governor Gavin Newsom and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

While former President Donald Trump was widely expected to run for the Republican nomination in 2024, he surprised many by announcing his plan to sit 2024 out and retire. Thus, in a crowded Republican primary, Tucker Carlson, famed Fox News personality, narrowly won. Carlson's victory was an upset, and was widely seen as the Republican base's rejection of libertarian economics, which Carlson railed against in his speeches.

From the Democratic primary came another stunning upset, as California Governor Gavin Newsom defeated incumbent President Joe Biden early in the New Hampshire primary, leading to the president dropping out. Facing a myriad of candidates from the party's center and left, Newsom prevailed, selecting New Jersey Senator Cory Booker as his running mate.

Issues of the election mainly centered around the economy, gun rights, foreign policy, and immigration. Carlson campaigned as a hard populist, attacking Newsom as a West Coast elite, out of touch with the American people and ignorant of his state's issues. Newsom campaigned as a standard progressive, calling Carlson an extremist and claiming the Republicans wanted to end democracy.

Carlson made heavy use of his celebrity status, and his Fox show allowed him to easily reach and connect with voters. Newsom made heavy use of social media such as Twitter and TikTok, as the Democratic strategy was to gain as many young voters as possible. Economic issues soon became the centerpiece of Carlson's campaign, while Newsom focused on social issues.

Carlson's unorthodox policies for a Republican, such as being open to economic intervention, opposing foreign intervention, and being extremely protectionist, gained him widespread support from the working class, and even gained him support from the "Bernie-Trump voter" class. Newsom bled support largely due to his appearance as a West Coast elitist, and the controversy of his leadership in California.

On election day Carlson won a slim victory, and notably thanked Trump in his acceptance speech. Newsom held out on conceding defeat until December 1st.