Dems scratching their heads over how a diverse NJ stronghold flipped for Trump

Democratic insiders are scratching their heads of a shocking flip successful traditionally wide New Jersey. Diverse, suburban Passaic County, which went 74% for Hillary Clinton successful 2016, voted for president-elect Donald Trump connected Tuesday.

The hourglass-shaped region successful nan bluish portion of nan authorities is usually true-blue acknowledgment to large down-county cities for illustration Paterson.

But nan oversea of bluish dried up connected Trump seized a stunning triumph pinch 95,0000 votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 89,000.

When asked what went wrong, 1 Democratic insider simply said, “I don’t know.”

“These numbers are bizarre,” he said, pointing to results that showed Trump nipping astatine Harris’s heels successful nan overwhelmingly wide metropolis of Paterson.

“It seems to maine a batch of group voted against their champion interest,” he said. “Maybe it was an affectional thing.”

There is simply a spot of a demographic activity hitting nan region of astir 515,000: The achromatic organization successful immoderate of its bigger cities and towns is shrinking, only to beryllium backfilled by much culturally-conservative Latinos.

Passaic County is 38% white, astir 45% Hispanic and 15% black.

Twenty years ago, nan Hispanic organization was conscionable 30%. That intends personification for illustration Trump, who plowed wide inroads into nan Hispanic community, could use from nan demographic shift.

Trump’s support among Hispanic voters has shifted 16 points successful his favour nationwide, according to exit polls.

Democratic victories person besides gotten much constrictive complete nan years arsenic a consequence — nan region went for Hillary Clinton by 52 points successful 2016, but that shrank to a 16-point triumph for Biden successful 2020.

“That displacement has been happening for a decade, possibly more,” nan insider said.

“But a statesmanlike predetermination is erstwhile you get a batch much Latinos to nan polls,” he continued. “African Americans are a more reliable Democratic voter, but successful Paterson, for instance, location are conscionable a batch much Latinos.”

“So moreover if a smaller percentage comes out, nan numbers grow.” 

That mirrored a displacement passim nan state, pinch Republicans besting their 2020 numbers successful astir each region — which, according to nan NJ Globe, appears to person stemmed from voting shape changes among number voters.

The Garden State GOP besides banked tons of early votes, pinch 400,000 taking to nan polls earlier Election Day.

Democrats narrowly outpaced them pinch 418,000 — moreover though Dems person much than a cardinal much registered voters, nan Globe said.

In nan end, Harris’ five-point separator of triumph successful New Jersey was nan worst of immoderate Dem successful nan state’s statesmanlike contests since 1992.

Few voters seemed amazed Wednesday greeting — but they offered myriad reasons why Trump flipped nan county, ranging from nan system to migration to immoderate group being simply unwilling to ballot for a woman.

Pat Deady, a 61-year-old Republican from nan up-county municipality of Ringwood, stood extracurricular a Quick Chek successful nan cardinal Passaic municipality of Wayne arsenic he attributed nan triumph to people’s vexation pinch taxes and inflation.

Meanwhile, he said, immoderate of his much wide friends simply sat nan predetermination out.

“They conscionable said they couldn’t guidelines thing nan Democrats are doing, but there’s nary measurement they tin get down Trump,” he said. “It benignant of made consciousness a small spot — if you really dislike them both, past why are you picking one?”

Demitri Gonzalez, a 25-year-old of Puerto Rican descent from Paterson, voted for Harris but attributed her nonaccomplishment to a flood of misinformation online.

“People don’t do their research,” said Gonzalez, a assemblage grad pinch a history degree. “They conscionable spell disconnected what they publication successful nan headline. They don’t publication nan article, they publication nan headlines.”

“A batch of Hispanic and achromatic men moved to nan correct because inherently, our civilization is blimpish … because of really heavy nan belief values are,” he continued, noting that his ain dada voted for Trump contempt his pleas.

Another person, a 60-year-old achromatic man from Paterson, was much succinct.

“Nobody knew thing astir her — that’s what nan problem was,” he said, adding that it mightiness person been different had she been successful nan title longer.

“You already cognize astir that evil motherf—er,” he said, referring to Trump. “But group said it: What bully is simply a alteration if you don’t cognize what you changing to?”