2024 will mark 20 years since Republicans last won the popular vote. Can they rebrand in time to stop losing streak?

The Hill ^ | 01-26-2023 | MYRA ADAMS

[ChicagoConservative27]

2024 will mark a sorry anniversary for the Republican Party: 20 years since President George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign won both the popular and Electoral College votes. That feat has since eluded three GOP presidential nominees and one incumbent.

The critical question is, “Are Republicans capable of nominating a winning ticket to halt this embarrassing losing trend?” I doubt it since rapidly changing demographics are reducing the Republicans’ popular vote count in battleground states.

In 2016, Donald Trump was elected president by winning only the Electoral College — a political fluke that he did not repeat in 2020. Moreover, the demeaning label “illegitimate president” can haunt a commander in chief who wins without the popular vote. Just ask George W. Bush, circa 2000.

To understand how this forthcoming non-celebratory 20th anniversary of continuous political loss manifested itself, let’s begin with notable 2004 state voting data and compare it to 2020 state results.

But first, the basic facts: Incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in a demure, respectable campaign by today’s standards. Bush won the popular vote 50.7 to 48.3 percent and the Electoral College vote 286 to 251.

[Maine Mariner]

Yes you are 100% correct. But when the Democrats nominate poor candidates, the party stands behind them and helps get them elected. When the Republicans nominate a bad candidate, the Republican bigwigs and pundits are on Fox News the night of the nomination and the day after criticizing the candidate.

[cgbg]

The cemetery voting demographic keeps on growing...what to do...what to do....

[WalkerinSC]

I will do what I have done in the past. I will vote Constitution candidate, or I will bypass and vote for the best candidates down ticket. I will not vote for Sore Loser Unelectable Trump regardless who the Democratic Party puts forward. Unless the Democratic Party put forward a social conservative (pro-Life) and was center or not screaming leftist on economics,

[central_va]

So the GOPe rally’s around the good candidates like Dole, Romney and McCain but trashs the bad candidates like Trump and Reagan. Do I have your story correct?

[Mr. Jeeves]

Conservative ideas are God trying to compete with Santa Claus. I don't see Republicans winning a popular vote with the current platform unless Democrats make a huge mistake - like losing a war with Russia. But, considering half the GOP is lining up to support that war, Republicans will take the blame for that, too.

Trump maxed out the potential Republican electoral vote in 2016. To do that again in the future, the party needs to do what Trump did - lay down a small number of clear, consistent, pro-freedom principles and stick to them - no matter what. And above all, do not hesitate to identify and denounce the opponent's lies and deceptions. Trump did that loudly and effectively - which is why they kicked him off of social media for being "too mean".

The Left gets tremendous milage out of their opponents playing the game in a gentlemanly way.

This is, of course, above and beyond addressing election fraud in battleground states - if this doesn't happen first then tinkering with the platform or the brand is just a waste of time. First duty is addressing and destroying the media's emotional mind virus that "It is OK for Democrats to cheat, because they care about people - and Republicans are racists." This belief animates a lot of the low-level operatives who make the fraud happen - publicly brand them as villains and prosecute them and the Left will have a much tougher task.

[central_va]

Great. More power to ya pal.

PS: Mini-MAGA is not running in '24.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

I don't think "branding" is the problem.

The question is can they fix the ballot system.

[WashingtonSource]

Excuse me. But Republicans won the majority of the vote in 2022, even though no one was running for President. So it can be done.

[ByteMercenary]

Articles like this merely prove to me that the Rs have not yet learned that who counts the votes is the most important component of an election.

[deport]

I doubt we will see another blow out such as
1988 with Bush 41. 426 electoral votes.

***********

But with all the newcomers the dems may be in
place to win for a few upcoming elections. JMO
New comers have changed this land called the
USA ever since Columbus sailed in 1492. The
change will most likely continue. jmo

[RideForever]

There is neither winner nor loser when either side cheats, as has been done in our elections in the past 20 years.

[TankerKC]

The popular vote means nothing.

[cicero2k]

Uniparty years. It didn’t matter.

[Wuli]

Actually, in the November 2022 midterm elections, the GOP did win the overall total popular vote, in spite of the skewed district layouts benefitting the Dims. And it is not looking good for the Dims in Senate races for 2024; the GOP is in a better position to gain seats than are the Dims.

[deport]

Popular vote and electoral college vote aren't always the
same. I don't know how many times that has happened but
it did last election. The election process has changed over
time and will continue as new voters are brought on board.
Look at the foreign immigrants from south of the border and
other countries. They vote and don't necessarily have the
approach as voters from the past. White male dominance is
history.

A few years ago we moved to NC. And on a Saturday afternoon
you can see a lot of the south of the border people with their
family around town shopping and having a meal at one of the fast
food restaurants. We moved from southeast Texas and that would
be common any day of the week. Have a nice day.

[Bon of Babble]

Rebrand to stop the losing streak?

How about cleaning up vote fraud to stop the losing streak.

[blackdog]

Who can predict what the Beltway bureaucrats will release as vote totals and who for? Some things just aren’t up to we the people anymore.

[caprock]

YEP - The California illegals will be registered thanks to motor-voter law (drivers licenses issued to invaders for “safety” & voter registration included with DL issuance.)

[38special]

Says a lot about our country and it’s voters.

[oldbill]

As long as urban democrat precincts get 110% turnouts that vote 100% democrat and states get 250,000 absentee ballots returned from the 180,000 sent out, (PA) the Republicans will never see a majority vote again.