“No, they didn’t. This “mandate” crap started under Clintoon that claimed he was given a mandate upon reelection.”
Not quite; Clinton never won more than half of the votes cast, while Christie did handily (that is how I’m defining “mandate”). Clinton could never say he was representing any kind of majority; he won a plurality twice.
I take it you are too young to remember the 1992 and 1996 elections where after Bill Clinton and his supporters claimed he had a “mandate for change”?