Donald Trump appears poised to secure victory in the 2024 presidential election after projections from Fox News and Decision Desk HQ called Pennsylvania in his favor. With this key state, Vice President Kamala Harris no longer has a viable path to reach the required electoral votes, effectively concluding her campaign's chances.
If Trump maintains this trajectory, he would achieve something no Republican candidate has done in two decades: win the national popular vote.
When was the last time a Republican won the popular vote?
The last Republican to win the popular vote was President George W. Bush in the 2004 election. Bush, running for re-election, defeated Democratic challenger John Kerry by approximately three million votes while also securing 286 Electoral College votes. In the years since, Democrats have consistently won the popular vote, including when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 by winning the Electoral College but losing the popular vote.
George W. Bush’s initial election in 2000 was similar to Trump’s 2016 victory, where he won the Electoral College despite losing the popular vote, making his 2004 win an exception among Republican candidates. Prior to Bush, President George H.W. Bush won the popular vote in 1988, defeating Democrat Michael Dukakis by nearly eight million votes.
Who is leading in the 2024 popular vote?
As of 1:30 a.m. ET on November 6, Trump holds a lead over Harris by around 4.9 million votes. With the remaining states counted, it appears nearly impossible for Harris to close this gap, even if she were to win all outstanding votes.
Who won the 2020 popular vote?
In 2020, President Joe Biden won the popular vote with a record margin of approximately seven million votes, the highest tally ever recorded for a presidential candidate. Trump, too, garnered more votes than any previous presidential candidate, which added to his frustration over losing the election to Biden.
Comments
Post a Comment