Most nations rejected the populist, immigrant-hating, parties. LePen lost. The Torries were tossed (of course, they were the ruling party, so that may support your position a bit; but they have been anti-foreigner and anti-EU for a while, and people now know that they lied about Brexit).

In our case, I think it was more about fear and loathing. The right-wing media has been spewing that for the past four years (or more). It took hold. The convict's main line of attack was "I'm going to deport millions", and "they're eating your pets", and "we have an open border", and comments about "polluting" American blood. None of which is actually true, but it played on peoples' baser instincts. Just as it did in the late 20s to early 30s in Germany**. Very little in the way of economic policy was ever mentioned by the convict, at least in part because the campaign realized people weren't responding to that as much as "scary brown people".

Though it is true that the Dems seem to have become the party of the college-educated, I suspect rank and file voters aren't aware of that. They may dislike some of the progressive social views (like gay marriage, trans rights, etc). But they consistently support Dem programs when polled (e.g. they didn't like "Obamacare", but they did like almost all of the provisions within Obamacare when not labeled "Obamacare").

Therefore, it really isn't about policy, or "them fancy college kids", or anything of the sort. It was fear based on lies, and it will be fear based on lies in 4 years (e.g. "libruls will open the border and lets the rapists and asylum inmates in").

Assuming we have a country left after Project 2025 is implemented, and cronyism takes the place of competence in government.




**That has often been a successful tactic, not just Germany.