Where Donald Trump’s Election Win Ranks Among Republican Victories

The Associated Press called the 2024 presidential election for Donald Trump after his narrow victory in Wisconsin secured the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to win the White House.
As of 1.30 p.m. ET, November 6, forecasts showed Trump had 292 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’ 224. In addition to the decisive Electoral College win, Trump was on track to take the popular vote, a rare feat among recent Republican victors.
The President-elect is poised to join an exclusive list of Republicans, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, who have claimed both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
Here’s how his victory compares to the most recent notable Republican wins.
In his reelection campaign against Democrat John Kerry, President George W. Bush won 286 Electoral College votes to Kerry’s 251, along with a popular vote total of 62 million (50.7 percent) to Kerry’s 59 million (48.3 percent). Bush’s victory was marked by wins in key swing states like Ohio, which helped secure his second term. But Bush’s 2004 performance reflected a deeply divided electorate and slightly expanded his support base compared to his narrow victory in 2000.
In 1988, Vice President George H.W. Bush claimed a decisive victory over Democrat Michael Dukakis, winning 426 Electoral College votes to Dukakis’s 111. Bush won the popular vote by a significant margin, with 48.9 million (53.4 percent) to Dukakis’s 41.8 million (45.6 percent). This landslide affirmed Bush’s mandate and solidified the Reagan-era conservative coalition, as he swept across Southern and Midwestern states.
The 1984 election saw Ronald Reagan secure a second landslide against Democrat Walter Mondale, capturing 525 of 538 Electoral College votes—the highest count in modern history. Reagan’s popular vote margin was similarly impressive, with 54.5 million votes (58.8 percent) to Mondale’s 37.6 million (40.6 percent). His widespread popularity underscored the country’s embrace of his conservative policies and charismatic leadership.
Ronald Reagan’s 1980 victory over incumbent President Jimmy Carter marked a dramatic shift in American politics. Reagan won with 489 Electoral College votes to Carter’s 49, alongside a popular vote tally of 43.9 million (50.8 percent) to Carter’s 35.4 million (41 percent). Reagan’s triumph set the stage for a Republican resurgence that reshaped the political landscape for the next decade.
Trump’s 2024 victory aligns with these notable Republican wins. While his margin is slimmer compared to Reagan’s landslides, Trump’s remarkable political comeback will likely cement the lasting influence of his political brand within the GOP.