2024 Election Surprises: Tight Race and Democratic Missteps

The 2024 presidential election, initially perceived as a decisive victory for Donald Trump, was actually quite close. Trump won the Electoral College with a 312-226 margin, but his national popular vote lead was only 1.6 points over Kamala Harris. The election's closeness is highlighted by narrow wins in key swing states like Pennsylvania, which was the tipping-point state. Despite claims of a mandate, historical context shows Trump's victory was not a landslide, and perceptions of a mandate may influence his governance approach.