Why Did Voters Choose a Controversial Novice? Testing Clinton's Post-Election Analysis

# Why Trump Won

The 2016 election saw an unprecedented victory: Donald Trump, an experienced novice with no political science background, defeated Hillary Clinton.

## Our Approach

We analyze this through the lens of Clinton's perspective—specifically her claims in What Happened. We test a novel hypothesis about post-election narratives.

Our findings:

• Most of Clinton's assumptions about losing are supported by evidence
• The email controversy narrative (especially Comey's intervention) lacks strong substantiation

## Key Implications

This research offers insights into political campaigns and the dynamics behind electoral defeats. It highlights a gap in political science literature regarding how defeated candidates interpret their loss.