Republicans haven't unseated the Democrats while winning the PV since 1980

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

That's a pretty long gap....in other words, the majority of Americans alive today either weren't alive or were too young to have remembered the last time it happened. Does this undermine the legitimacy of Republicans that they have to rely on what many see as an antiquated electoral system to gain power?

Just to provide some context, the gap between Harding's victory and Eisenhower's victory (two times when the R's unseated the D's while winning the popular vote), is less than what the gap between Reagan winning w/ the popular vote and the next Republican who unseats the Democrats while winning the popular vote will be.

[jaichind]

Yeah, since 1992, the GOP has won the PV only once out of 1 out of 7 elections. Of course regression to the mean also indicates that the near future might portend a similar winning streak for the.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

Yeah, since 1992, the GOP has won the PV only once out of 1 out of 7 elections. Of course regression to the mean also indicates that the near future might portend a similar winning streak for the.

Their one popular vote win came with the reelection of someone who lost the popular vote the first time. I still think it's interesting that it's been so long since Republicans unseated the Democrats while winning the popular vote (basically since before the first Millenials were born) and that because of Trump's win, it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

To be fair, if the Republicans had the lost the popular vote AND electoral vote in 2000, they probably would've won both in 2004 or 2008 due to fatigue with the Democrats and also the economic problems of that decade.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

To be fair, if the Republicans had the lost the popular vote AND electoral vote in 2000, they probably would've won both in 2004 or 2008 due to fatigue with the Democrats and also the economic problems of that decade.

To be honest, I rather doubt an incumbent president could have been reelected in 2008, regardless of their party affiliation, assuming the economy takes the same course it did in real life.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

To be fair, if the Republicans had the lost the popular vote AND electoral vote in 2000, they probably would've won both in 2004 or 2008 due to fatigue with the Democrats and also the economic problems of that decade.

To be honest, I rather doubt an incumbent president could have been reelected in 2008, regardless of their party affiliation, assuming the economy takes the same course it did in real life.

What I meant was if the Democrats still won '04, they would've likely lost '08 (both PV and EV).

I'm only talking about elections where Republicans GAINED the White House, not RETAINED it.

[Young Conservative]

2004?

[jaichind]

2004?

2004 was not an unseating of a Dem control..

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Democrats have won only 3 open elections since 1856.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

To be fair, if the Republicans had the lost the popular vote AND electoral vote in 2000, they probably would've won both in 2004 or 2008 due to fatigue with the Democrats and also the economic problems of that decade.

To be honest, I rather doubt an incumbent president could have been reelected in 2008, regardless of their party affiliation, assuming the economy takes the same course it did in real life.

What I meant was if the Democrats still won '04, they would've likely lost '08 (both PV and EV).

I'm only talking about elections where Republicans GAINED the White House, not RETAINED it.

Ah. I agree, then.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

The Democrats have won only 3 open elections since 1856.

They haven't won an open election while the incumbent party since 1856. Now that's a streak!

Going back to what you said though (winning only 3 open elections, regardless of whether they were the incumbents or challengers), it is interesting that their two victories before 2008, 1884 and 1960, were both very narrow, reinforcing the notion that open seat elections heavily favored Republicans before 2008.