The Buzz: December 2024

Monday, December 2, 2024

KOA Election Night Coverage

The 2024 presidential election was slated to be close but became a Donald Trump and Republican sweep.

850 KOA live coverage and analysis of the early returns Tuesday, November 5, highlighted the difficult night Kamala Harris and Democrats were likely to have. Managing the booth for iHeartMedia was executive producer Ryan Schuiling directing field reports and guest interviews, including Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet. Kathy Walker, news director, Jeana Gondek, morning host, and Ross Kaminski, talk show host provided reports and analysis.

By 8:30 p.m., the pattern was set as states were called for their electoral votes and U.S. Senate races. My analysis during the broadcast:

Polling showed Democratic weakness with the Hispanic/Latino community and the early-reported, massive Dade County and Florida votes for Trump, was ominous for Democrats.
Weakness in the Wisconsin returns for Harris highlighted the Blue Wall was fragile and Trump could win at least 5 battleground states. He won all seven.
When Sherrod Brown lost his Ohio Senate seat, it became clear the Republican strength would affect down ballot races. At least six senate seats were in play. Republicans won 4 along with the House of Representatives.
The highly competitive 8th Congressional District remained within a few thousand votes. Field reports observed both camps were hopeful but stressed, and went home as the snow piled up Tuesday night. By Saturday late votes gave the win to Republicans.
Voters picked their way through a long and complicated ballot. Liberals in Colorado were pleased abortion and gay rights did well on the statewide ballot but the law and order position on parole, bail, and police funding dominated. Also, the Mayor of Denver lost his $100 million tax increase for housing. Statewide and Denver voters rejected bans of lion hunting, fur sales and a slaughterhouse. Finally, the multimillion dollar campaign for election reform failed.

The 2024 national election was a major shock for Democrats and much of the political/cultural establishment. America has entered a new political era and major changes are coming.

Ciruli Associates

Mr. Ciruli is president of Ciruli Associates, a public policy and research firm based in Denver, Colorado, and Orange County, California.

Mr. Ciruli is a Senior Fellow at the University Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. He will join a lecture and panel program on the 2024 election. He has taught public opinion and media at the Denver School of Public Affairs.

Mr. Ciruli was the founding Director of the Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. He was an adjunct professor of public opinion and foreign policy.

Mr. Ciruli holds a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree cum laude in political science from UCLA. He is a member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), and is the past-president of the Pacific Chapter of AAPOR (PAPOR). Mr. Ciruli was vice-chair of the Social Science Foundation of the University of Denver Josef Korbel School of International Studies and past-president of the Georgetown Law Alumni Board and the Denver Athletic Club.

Mr. Ciruli is widely known to Colorado audiences as a pollster and political analyst. In 2016, Mr. Ciruli was inducted into the Denver Press Club Hall of Fame.

Monday, December 2, 2024

KOA Election Night Coverage

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