How Big?

mandate | ˈmanˌdāt | noun 
1 an official order or commission to do something:  • Law a commission by which a party is entrusted to perform a service, especially without payment and with indemnity against loss by that party. • US English Law an order from an appellate court to a lower court to take a specific action. 
2 the authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election:
 
In recent months since the Presidential election in November of 2024, we have heard President Trump claim he has a huge mandate to carry out his policies or course of action.  In reality, Trump did win the election, and did receive a mandate to commit to carry out his policies as promised.
 
However, the “huge” mandate isn’t what he has led the public to believe.   These elections would prove that to be true.
 
1964 Presidential Election Results:
 
Johnson                     Democrat                   Popular Vote             Electoral Vote
                                                                        42,825,463                486
 
Goldwater                  Republican                27,146,969                 52
 
 
1972 Presidential Election Results:
 
Nixon                         Republican                Popular Vote             Electoral Vote
                                                                        47,168,710                 520
 
McGovern                 Democrat                   29,173,222                 17
 
Nixon won 49 states and had almost 61 per cent of the popular vote.
 
1984 Presidential Election Results: 
Reagan                       Republican                Popular Vote             Electoral Vote
                                                                        54,455,075                525
 
Mondale                    Democrat                   37,577,185                 13
 
Reagan carried 49 states, Mondale winning only his home state of Minnesota.
 
Now compare those results to the “huge” mandate and victory Trump claims:
 
2024 Presidential Election Results:
 
Trump                        Republican                Popular Vote             Electoral Vote
                                                                        77,019,230                312
 
Harris                         Democrat                   75,019,230                226
 
Trump received 49.81 per cent of the popular vote, indicating that he is not a “majority” President. 
 
While it is clear President Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election and received a mandate, that mandate cannot be called a “huge” mandate from the voters. In terms of the popular vote, more people voted for someone not named Trump for president than voted for Trump in 2024, and his margin of victory over Harris was 1.5 percentage points. That is the fifth smallest margin of victory in the thirty-two presidential races held since 1900.
 
Embellishment?  Arrogance?  Narcissism?  I can’t answer that.  I have my own opinion, as do you.  You be the judge.