Posted by In my previous post, The MAGA Program Part 3, I promised to address the upcoming elections in 2026 and 2028. I’ll start by recalling the results of the 2024 election. Neither Donald Trump nor the GOP were given a mandate to do whatever they want any way they want to do it. Let’s look at the numbers.
2024 Election
We know Donald Trump received 77,302,580 votes (49.80%) and Kamala Harris 75,017,613 votes (48.32%). This is a difference of 2,284,967 votes (1.47%). I’m not sure how this defines a mandate (i.e. a command or authorization to act in a particular way given by the electorate to its representative), but this vote count doesn’t seem particularly compelling statistically. In fact, if we examine all the candidates on state ballots as well as write-ins and Nevada’s “None-of-These, another 2,918,109 votes are included in the 155,238,302 cast for President in the 2024 election. Combining these votes with those for Harris we get 77,935,722 Not-Donald Trump, 633,142 votes more than Trump received.
OK, let’s see, if we include Congress in the argument, is there overwhelming support for a congressional mandate? The results for the House were 220 Republicans elected (50.6%) and 215 (49.4%). Maybe votes cast will reveal something. Republicans received 74,390,864 votes and Democrats received 70,571,330 votes. It’s kind of got that Trump gangsta-lean support, but nothing to put money on. Let’s get the rest of the story. (Damn, I miss Paul Harvey)
The Independent Party received 852,373 votes and the Libertarian Party pulled in 709,405 votes. In fact, under the category Other Parties alone (not including Independent and Libertarian), 2,545,275 votes were recorded. So all totaled (including the Green, 182,841, and the Constitution, 179,149, parties) another 4,581,227 votes were counted. Including this with Democrats votes we get 75,152,557 Not-GOP votes. I’ll let you do the percentages.
How about the Senate? Coming out of the 2024 election, Republicans held 53 seats, Democrats 45 seats and 2 Independents who caucus with the Democrats. Since only Class I seats were up for election (one Class 2 seat was also open), the voting results are scattered. I won’t tie up any more space with the vote analysis.
However, but my standards, there was no mandate for the free-wheeling Executive Order/ Legislative agenda implemented by the President and his MAGA congress.
2026 Election
As we prepare for this election, consider the following.
First, think about the national gerrymandering initiated by Donald Trump through Texas. Redrawing the maps has created an “only the Party” choice scenario. It is meaningless to consider who is running for office since almost nothing about the candidates will be important to voters. The primary judgement will be based on party loyalty. It’s hard to say that an “independent voter” analysis of candidates will even factor in. (So much for celebrating 250 years of the Declaration of Independence). Which political faction will win?
Second, voters will be bombarded with Party-driven propaganda. In truth it’s been nonstop since the 2024 election. Trump’s continuous attacks on all things Democrat has been nothing short of obnoxious. In addition, his continuous attacks on the election system, without evidence, has sown enough distrust to guarantee reluctant midterm voters will not vote.
Third, Trump’s unprincipled use of military force in immigration operations and in domestic protests poses a threat to the actual polling places. To begin to understand this threat, read Trump’s New Threats to American Elections by David A. Graham. If you don’t have a subscription to The Atlantic I encourage you to get one. There are a number of writers who actually report facts with some historical perspective.
But the biggest challenge is voting options. Who? Why? Is the only criteria “the lesser of the two evils”? I say no. We have other options. This will be the subject of my next post.
As always, “Good night and good luck” [Edward R. Murrow]
Joe Allen 