At one of his final rallies at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden, former President Donald Trump delivered a sped-up version of his typical stump speech, promising “the strongest economy, the safest borders, and the safest cities.”

He also railed against his rivals, whom he viewed as “enemies from within,” and described his rival, Vice President Harris, as a bad person with a “low IQ.”

“We are facing something much bigger and much more powerful than Joe (Biden) or Kamala (Harris), which is a massive, vicious radical left machine running today’s Democratic party,” Trump told the crowd.

In his return to power, Trump defied many expectations, surviving repeated scandals and multiple impeachments. He is the first convicted felon to win the White House.

Trump’s overall focus on the economy and immigration ultimately resonated with enough Americans that It was more of a message from Harris, who called for unity and warned that Trump was a “petty tyrant” obsessed with revenge.

Trump has doubled down on his hard border stance, using increasingly dehumanizing language to describe immigrants, accusing them of poisoning the nation and falsely claiming that a Venezuelan street gang has taken over the country.

Election results suggest Americans are less concerned about Trump’s rhetoric and instead want a change. Polls just before Election Day showed Harris can’t make it seize the change mission As part of the Biden administration.

Many experts cite runaway inflation in the middle of the Biden administration’s tenure as the key to Harris’ downfall. While inflation has fallen, prices have remained higher than when Trump was in office.

Voters like Dale Roberts in Georgia saw Harris as an extension of President Biden.

“Harris has the same policies that Biden has implemented. There are no two ways about it,” said the 67-year-old former state trooper. “No matter how much he lies or tries to get out of this situation, he can’t get out of it. “He should have changed or tried to change policies while he was vice president.”

This election cycle, as he did in 2016, Trump appeared to mobilize an army of working-class white voters, especially men. Exit polls also showed him eroding support among key groups for Democrats, including Latinos and Black men.

Trump’s victory, after all, may be based on an old political cliché: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

“Ultimately, what is said about President Trump winning is that people are more willing to vote with their own wallets,” Republican pollster Jon McHenry said. “They say, ‘I think the criticisms of democracy are exaggerated, and I’m going to vote with my wallet because I know it’s not exaggerated.’”

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Increased border crossings in the early stages of the Biden administration sparked a backlash not only from Republicans, but also from Democratic governors and mayors who criticized the Biden administration for its immigration policies along the border.

Some thought divisions within the GOP, including the high-profile departures from the party of major party leaders such as former Rep. Liz Cheney, would be fatal for Trump.

But beyond pushing people to vote against Trump, Harris has also struggled to articulate a clear vision for the country’s future.

“For a decade, Donald Trump has tried to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other. That’s who she is,” Harris said in a high-profile speech outside the White House. “But America, I’m here tonight to say: That’s not who we are.”

But Biden didn’t do Trump any favors in promoting unity when he called Trump’s supporters “trash” in the final days of the race. The White House attempted to clear up the confused comment by arguing that the president was specifically referring to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” at Trump’s rally in New York City.

But the damage was done. Trump stirred the ire of his supporters by wearing an orange reflective vest while sitting in a Trump-branded garbage truck before his rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and later answering questions from the press about what he wore at his rally.

Instead of running away from his scandals, Trump embraced his legal troubles and used them to reinforce one of his core messages: that the system is rigged and is especially against conservatives.

He stepped up threats to go after political opponents, even suggesting he could use the military to attack “the enemy from within.”

He enjoyed giving the kind of red meat talk that his die-hard fans would wait for hours under the hot sun.

“I like to be polite and careful,” Trump said at a rally in Duluth, Ga. “And then I decide: Is it better to be careful or to actually entertain people?” And I usually decide on the entertainment side. And then I have fun.”