Donald Trump’s recent election victory over Kamala Harris marks a rare moment for Republicans: winning both the electoral college and the popular vote. With more than 70 million votes, Trump is the first Republican candidate to achieve this since George W. Bush’s reelection in 2004 over John Kerry.
Since 2000, when Bush won the presidency without the popular vote, Republicans have faced challenges in claiming both. Trump himself acknowledged the difficulty, noting the significant advantage Democrats hold in populous states like California, New York, and Illinois.
Before 2000, winning both the electoral and popular vote was common, as candidates succeeded in both metrics in every election from 1900 to 1996.
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