(The Guardian) Trump may become first Republican in 20 years to win popular vote
Donald Trump has already decisively won the electoral college but appears on course for another triumph that no Republican has pulled off in years: victory in the popular vote.
It was something Trump failed to do even when he was first elected in 2016, which heightened complaints among Democrats that the electoral college is an anti-democratic enabler of unpopular candidates. But the dynamic has plagued the GOP for years – the last Republican to win the popular vote is George W Bush in 2004, when he was re-elected after winning only the electoral college four years earlier.
While all ballots nationwide have not yet been counted, Trump currently has a lead in the popular vote over Kamala Harris, defying forecasts that the vice-president would be the choice of a majority of voters, even if she did not ultimately become president.
The Associated Press reports that as of 2.11pm ET, Trump won 71,930,743 votes, or 51% of the popular vote, and Harris 67,086,484 votes, or 47.5%. The totals are expected to change as counting continues, particularly in states with lots of Democratic voters, such as California.
Donald Trump has already decisively won the electoral college but appears on course for another triumph that no Republican has pulled off in years: victory in the popular vote.
It was something Trump failed to do even when he was first elected in 2016, which heightened complaints among Democrats that the electoral college is an anti-democratic enabler of unpopular candidates. But the dynamic has plagued the GOP for years – the last Republican to win the popular vote is George W Bush in 2004, when he was re-elected after winning only the electoral college four years earlier.
While all ballots nationwide have not yet been counted, Trump currently has a lead in the popular vote over Kamala Harris, defying forecasts that the vice-president would be the choice of a majority of voters, even if she did not ultimately become president.
The Associated Press reports that as of 2.11pm ET, Trump won 71,930,743 votes, or 51% of the popular vote, and Harris 67,086,484 votes, or 47.5%. The totals are expected to change as counting continues, particularly in states with lots of Democratic voters, such as California.
