What Election Night 2024 Means

On Wednesday, November 6, Donald Trump was officially elected the 47th president of the United States. What was so different from previous elections?

Why Was This Election So Significant?

This election year has been fraught with tension and, according to the polls, it was a very tight race. The Republicans and Democrats were battling for control, not just for the presidency, but also for the House of Representatives and the Senate.

An important feature of Trump’s new term in the Oval Office is that he will enjoy a US Senate with a Republican majority. Furthermore, it looks like he will also have a Republican majority, although very slim, in the House of Representatives.

Since those in the same party tend to agree with each other, having a House and Senate of the same political party as the president is a big deal. Having majorities in the Senate and the House will make passing laws less difficult. It will be easier for Trump to make good on his campaign promises.

A Little History

On Election Night 2024, former President Donald Trump did what only one other president before him had accomplished. It was the second time in the nation’s history that a president was elected for a second non-consecutive term.

In 1884, Grover Cleveland was elected to serve in the White House, but when he ran for re-election in 1888, he lost. In 1892, Cleveland’s successful campaign propelled him into the presidency once again. He ranks as the 22nd and the 24th president of the United States.

Now, 132 years later, Trump has repeated this political feat. On Nov. 5, 2024, Trump defeated his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in a vigorous campaign that late polling reported as too close to call. Trump entered the presidency in 2016, then lost in 2020 to Joe Biden.  Just the News explained:

“Donald Trump pulled off the most improbable comeback in American political history [Nov. 5], securing a likely return trip to the White House by beating back a relentless tide of media, Big Tech, and Democrat opposition that stretched from the courthouse to the social media sphere.”

Trump ranks as the 45th and 47th president of the United States.

There are other similarities between the two politicians. Trump, a Republican, and Cleveland, a Democrat, both overcame stories of scandals to be elected the first time. But both lost their presidency in the following election.

In 1888, Cleveland lost to the Republican Benjamin Harrison, the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States. The main issue was the economy during Cleveland’s failed re-election bid.

In 2020, Trump lost to the Democrat Joe Biden, and a central issue was the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted all Americans and citizens worldwide. Civil unrest and rioting during Trump’s first term did not help his favorability. Biden claimed to be the candidate who would bring calm and normalcy back to the nation.

In 1892, Grover Cleveland had a rematch with Benjamin Harrison and won back the presidency. “He began to speak about disquiet in the country, especially over how GOP tariffs raised the cost of living,” according to Lesley Kennedy, writing for History.com. The Harrison administration’s faltering economic policies were a source of concern for voters.

In 2024, Trump ran a vigorous campaign against Harris that focused on the economy, which was being hammered by 20% inflation. He also promised to fix economic, border, and foreign policy issues.

Although not all the votes are counted yet, Trump is expected to also win the popular vote.  If so, it will be the first time in 20 years that a Republican has won the popular vote; the last time was in 2004 with George W. Bush. This election turned out to have several surprises.

Takeaways:

1. The 2024 election of Donald J. Trump was historically significant.
2. Only one other presidential candidate — Grover Cleveland — won non-consecutive presidential bids in the 19th century.
3. Republicans winning the majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives will make President-elect Donald Trump’s job easier.

The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.