Bush Won the General Vote, But Who Won the Traveler Vote?

You won’t hear any inside-the-beltway pundits talking about the “traveler vote” the way they talk about the “youth vote.” But it’s too bad exit poll workers don’t ask voters whether they had spent time abroad. Travel can change one’s perspective on a range of issues, and particularly America’s role in the world. I suspect the American-who-has-traveled-internationally vote went easily to Kerry. The majority of passport holders live on the coasts, and coastal states like New York and California were solid Kerry states. But the majority of American voters—as many as 80 percent—don’t hold passports. They’ve never had the visceral experience of seeing the U.S. through another’s eyes. So, regrettably, the traveler vote isn’t big enough to make a difference.

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved