Our most basic needs

American psychologist Abraham Maslow saw humans’ needs arranged like a pyramid, from basic survival at the base—food, safety, and stability—to higher-order aspirations like respect and freedom. Trump’s campaign capitalized on voters’ immediate, existential concerns at the hierarchy’s foundation: economic security, personal safety, and jobs.

This alignment worked. Inflation, housing costs and crime—bread-and-butter issues that directly impact people’s daily lives—were central to Trump’s message. Democrats, meanwhile, focused on issues higher up Maslow's pyramid, abstractions like protecting democracy and individual freedoms. These topics failed to connect broadly with voters facing foundational needs. And downplaying basic concerns reinforced the GOP message that Democrats were elitist and out of touch.

The lesson is clear: campaigns must meet voters where they are, addressing their most pressing needs.