ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith dismantled the idea to “The View” co-host Joy Behar’s suggestion that President Donald Trump did not win any “mandate” in the 2024 election.
Behar suggested that Trump did not win any “mandate” because he narrowly won the popular vote by about 1% and since the Republican Party holds a slim majority in the House of Representatives and Senate. The co-host pointed out that Trump’s popular vote win is “the smallest ever,” making his victory hardly a landslide.
“What kind of mandate is this really?” Behar asked Smith.
Smith argued there is, in fact, a mandate since Trump won all seven swing states, made major inroads with racial minorities and blue collar workers, and became the first Republican candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years.
“Well it is a mandate and I’m gonna explain why,” Smith said. “And I don’t mind the question but let me be very clear, I’m no supporter of Trump. I’m a supporter of truth and the facts, and here’s the facts. The man won every swing state, he increased voter turnout in his favor from the standpoint of blacks, Latinos, and young voters. He increased his numbers in that regard from 2020. 89% of the counties shifted to the right. That’s a mandate.”
“WE can sit up there and play around all we want to,” Smith continued. “In 2020, Trump didn’t the popular vote, he didn’t win the Electoral College vote. As a matter of fact, the Republicans haven’t won the popular vote if I remember correctly since 2004. But they did this year.”
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Smith said Trump’s victory is a result of Americans voting against the Democrats’ agenda, and argued the party needs to find new messaging if they ever want to defeat the president.
Public polling found Trump had a significant lead over both former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris on the economy and immigration, which were ultimately the two leading issues among voters in the last election.
Biden dropped out of the race on July 21 as Democrats staged a coup against his candidacy over concerns regarding his mental health and ability to serve a second term. Concerns over his cognitive state were raised after his disastrous debate performance against Trump held on June 27.
The former president then endorsed Harris to run, though she ended up losing the popular vote and all seven swing states to Trump. The president also made major inroads with black, Latino and blue collar workers largely due to the economy and immigration.
Trump became the first Republican nominee to win Hispanic men in a presidential election, earning 55% of support among that voter block in an NBC News exit poll. Harris underperformed among all Hispanics by only receiving 52% of support in exit polls, while President Joe Biden garnered 61% in 2020, according to Politico.
The president made history by becoming the first Republican to win Starr County, Texas, since 1892 with over 57% of the vote. The overwhelmingly Democratic bastion is a border county with a 97% Hispanic population.
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