When is a landslide not a landslide?

[Always in His Presence]

We know that in reality President Trump won a landslide election. With 312 electoral college votes, with 2.93 million more in the popular vote - all seven swing states - The majority in the House - The Majority in the Senate.

That is undeniable, so what's a group to do? Admit a major defeat. And to their credit, there are some on the left who are doing just that.

But then there is this:

Trump’s win has been described as resounding. It was closer than you think

The vice president improved on Biden’s margins in some swing states, but Trump swept them all

www.independent.co.uk

A deeper look at the results in key states from the 2024 races shows just how close Harris could have made it to the presidency.​

​

Some have gone so far out of reality to take the votes that went to other candidates (RFK and others) and say that these votes that were not for Trump closes the gap between the popular vote.

But they were also not for Kamala - if you use the same method, Kamala lost by even greater.

The independent votes did not hurt one candidate and help the other - they are unassigned to either candidate.

So let's follow the math - and not make up things so the devastating loss doesn't seem as devastating.

Trump won the electoral college vote 312 to 226 - or 58% to 42%
Trump won the Popular vote 76,068,135 to Harris' 73,134,346 - a difference of 2,933,738
Republicans won the Senate - 53 to 47
Republicans won the House - 218 to 209

A complete Sweep of elections.

Can we agree to at least be intellectually honest?

 

[BCP1928]

Of course we have to allow for some gloating from people who like to see the election results as a validation of whatever culture war hobby horse they happen to be riding.

 

[PloverWing]

Well, let's pick a mathematical measure. An electoral victory is a landslide if the winner gets ... 80% of the votes? 75% of the votes? What number would you use?

 

[Always in His Presence]

Of course we have to allow for some gloating from people who like to see the election results as a validation of whatever culture war hobby horse they happen to be riding.

Certainly - and others weeping over the dead horse they are desperately trying to ride.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Well, let's pick a mathematical measure. An electoral victory is a landslide if the winner gets ... 80% of the votes? 75% of the votes? What number would you use?

I don't think it is a percentage of the votes alone. It is when the election favors not just the President, but BOTH houses of congress also

 

[RocksInMyHead]

I don't think it is a percentage of the votes alone. It is when the election favors not just the President, but BOTH houses of congress also

"Landslide" refers to electoral margin within a specific race; no other races figure into it. If you want to call it a "red wave," sure, be my guest, but words have meanings. You can't just pick a word that makes you feel good and decide that it means something different so that you can use it.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Well, let's pick a mathematical measure. An electoral victory is a landslide if the winner gets ... 80% of the votes? 75% of the votes? What number would you use?

It's like trying to put a number on the word "several" it's non-specific and tends to be circumstance and emotion based.

 

[durangodawood]

The electoral college is a distortion of what We The People prefer.

Of course its the the valid constitutional method for tabulating the results. But it does not reflect the size of the mandate from We The People - which is actually very slender re the president.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Well, let's pick a mathematical measure. An electoral victory is a landslide if the winner gets ... 80% of the votes? 75% of the votes? What number would you use?

I like attempts to speak with more accuracy. Often our words are ambiguous.
65% to 75% sounds ball park.

 

[BCP1928]

Certainly - and others weeping over the dead horse they are desperately trying to ride.

Of course, but the conservatives are in power now, and they have to consider carefully what the election results are a mandate for.

 

[JosephZ]

We know that in reality President Trump won a landslide election. With 312 electoral college votes, with 2.93 million more in the popular vote - all seven swing states

Landslides:

Lyndon Johnson in 1964 received 61.1% of the vote beating his opponent by 22.5 points and won the electoral vote 486 to 52.

Richard Nixon in 1972 received 60.7% of the vote beating his opponent by 23.2 points and won the electoral vote 520 to 17.

Ronald Reagan in 1984 received 58.8% of the vote beating his opponent by 18.2 points and won the electoral vote 526 to 13.

Not a landslide:

Once all votes are counted, Trump will fail to secure a majority of the vote and will beat his opponent by maybe 2 points with an electoral win of 312 to 226.

A deeper look at the results in key states from the 2024 races shows just how close Harris could have made it to the presidency.

Had just 198,000 people voted differently in Wisconsin (29,600), Michigan (40,300), and Pennsylvania (128,000), VP Harris would have won the electoral vote. It was that close.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Had just 198,000 people voted differently in Wisconsin (29,600), Michigan (40,300), and Pennsylvania (128,000), VP Harris would have won the electoral vote. It was that close.

Would have - could have - should have

It didn't happen did it?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Of course, but the conservatives are in power now, and they have to consider carefully what the election results are a mandate for.

Not really, they have handed over the keys to Mr. Magoo, gave him full control. Now just sit back and let it all happen.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Would have - could have - should have

It didn't happen did it?

Indeed. But that wasn't the point - the point was to show that this was hardly a "landslide" victory for Trump.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Trump won the electoral college vote 312 to 226 - or 58% to 42%
Trump won the Popular vote 76,068,135 to Harris' 73,134,346 - a difference of 2,933,738
Republicans won the Senate - 53 to 47
Republicans won the House - 218 to 209

A complete Sweep of elections.

Indeed. But that wasn't the point - the point was to show that this was hardly a "landslide" victory for Trump.

Uh huh What do you call it when one side wins everything?

 

[JosephZ]

Would have - could have - should have

It didn't happen did it?

It was a well ran election and Trump won fair and square, but he didn't win in a landslide.

 

[Always in His Presence]

It was a well ran election and Trump won fair and square, but he didn't win in a landslide.

What do you call it when one sides wins everything?

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Uh huh What do you call it when one side wins everything?

Not a landslide. You could call it a sweep, a "red wave", tossing the bums out, etc. But a landslide specifically refers to a huge margin of victory. As I told you in post #6, words have meanings.

There were definitely races in this election that were landslides (for both sides), but Trump's wasn't one of them (eta - outside of a few states. Wyoming could be called a landslide victory for Trump, with an almost 50% margin of victory, meaning that he got almost 75% of the vote there).

 

[BCP1928]

What do you call it when one sides wins everything?

Apparently you call it an excuse for self righteousness.

 

[rambot]

When some lose, they have to fight it and can't believe it, and refuse to accept it.

When some win, they badger the losing side to get them to admit how bad they lost.


It's like my special needs gym class after basketball