Polling for United States presidential elections

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Chart of Democratic-candidate lead over Republican candidate in final poll and results by year, 1936 to 2016 Democrat Republican Vote Spread By Year update 1.png
Chart of Democratic-candidate lead over Republican candidate in final poll and results by year, 1936 to 2016

Gallup was the first polling organization to conduct accurate opinion polling for United States presidential elections. [1] Gallup polling has often been accurate in predicting the outcome of presidential elections and the margin of victory for the winner. [2] However, it missed some close elections: 1948, 1976 and 2004, the popular vote in 2000, and the likely-voter numbers in 2012. [2] The month section in the tables represents the month in which the opinion poll was conducted. D represents the Democratic Party, and R represents the Republican Party. Third parties, such as the Dixiecrats and the Reform Party, were included in some polls. [3]

Contents

1936

1936 Presidential Election Polls 1936 Presidential Polls.png
1936 Presidential Election Polls
1936 [3]
Month Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) % Alf Landon (R) %
July49%45%
August49%45%
49%45%
49%44%
September49%45%
50%44%
October51%44%
51%44%
56%44%
Actual result60.80%36.54%
Difference between actual result and final poll+4.80%-7.46%

After predicting the winners of the previous five elections, The Literary Digest (based on cards mailed in by its readers) predicted that Alf Landon would win by a large margin. George Gallup predicted a Roosevelt win, based on statistical random sampling within 1.1 percent of the Literary Digest results.

The accuracy of Gallup's forecasts indicated the value of modern statistical methods; according to data collected in the Gallup poll, the Literary Digest poll failed primarily due to non-response bias (Roosevelt won 69 percent of Literary Digest readers who did not participate in the poll) rather than selection bias as commonly believed. Roosevelt won 57 percent of Literary Digest readers who received the poll. [4] Roosevelt won in the largest landslide since the uncontested 1820 election, winning every state except Maine and Vermont, since his New Deal programs were popular with the American people (apart from the respondents to the Literary Digest poll). Although Landon said that the New Deal was costly and ineffective and Roosevelt was slowly molding the United States into a dictatorship, his attacks gained little traction. [5]

1940

1940 Presidential Polling 1940 Presidential Polling.png
1940 Presidential Polling
1940 [3]
Month Franklin D. Roosevelt (D)  % Wendell Willkie (R)%
July48%42%
44%43%
August45%43%
46%44%
September49%40%
October50%40%
51%42%
52%48%
Actual result54.74%44.78%
Difference between actual result and final poll+2.74%-3.22%

Throughout his campaign, Roosevelt promised to continue the New Deal and not bring the United States into any new wars if he was given another term. Willkie unsuccessfully attacked Roosevelt for seeking a third term and accused him of trying to turn the United States into a dictatorship by refusing to leave office. Roosevelt led in all polls, and was re-elected by a large margin. [6]

1944

1944 Presidential Polling 1944 Presidential Polling.png
1944 Presidential Polling
1944 [3]
MonthFranklin D. Roosevelt (D) % Thomas E. Dewey (R) %
March55%41%
53%42%
April48%46%
May48%47%
50%45%
June51%45%
51%44%
July46%45%
49%41%
August47%42%
47%45%
September47%42%
50%45%
48%41%
47%45%
October48%47%
50%47%
November51%48%
Actual result53.39%45.89%
Difference between actual result and final poll+2.39%-2.11%

Roosevelt actively campaigned in this election against medical advice to counter Republican claims that he was near death. Roosevelt maintained a consistent (although sometimes narrow) lead in the polls, and won a solid victory due to American success in World War II and his continued popularity. [7]

1948

1948 Presidential Polling 1948 Presidential Polling.png
1948 Presidential Polling
1948 [3]
Month Harry S. Truman (D) % Thomas E. Dewey (R) % Henry A. Wallace (Progressive) % Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat) %
December 1947/January 194846%41%7%
February/March39%47%7%
April/May
June/July38%49%6%
37%48%5%
August/September37%48%4%2%
36%49%5%3%
39%47%3%2%
39%47%3%2%
40%46%4%2%
October [8] 45%50%4%2%
Actual result49.55%45.07%2.37%2.41%
Difference between actual result and final poll+4.55%-4.93%-1.63%+0.41%

While incumbent President Truman's popularity was low at the end of 1946, it improved with his attack on the "Do-Nothing" Republican Congress of 1947–1948 and his association of Dewey with it. Truman also energized segments of the Democratic base by ending segregation in the military and recognizing Israel. [9] Gallup and other polling organizations stopped polling in mid-October, believing that Dewey would win the election, and failed to predict Truman's comeback or his subsequent victory. [1]

1952

1952 Presidential Polling 1952 Presidential Polling.png
1952 Presidential Polling
1952 [3]
Month Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) % Adlai Stevenson II (D) %
June59%31%
July50%43%
August
September55%40%
55%41%
October53%41%
51%38%
48%39%
48%39%
51%49%
Actual result55.18%44.33%
Difference between actual result and final poll+4.18%-4.67%

Dissatisfaction with the Korean War, corruption and the threat of Communism (the K1c2 formula) allowed World War II hero Eisenhower to win the election in a landslide after consistently leading in the polls, mostly by large margins. [10]

1956

1956 Presidential Polling 1956 Presidential Polling.png
1956 Presidential Polling
1956 [3]
MonthDwight D. Eisenhower (R) %Adlai Stevenson II (D) %
December 1955/January 195661%35%
February/March63%33%
April/May61%37%
62%33%
62%35%
June/July62%35%
61%37%
August/September52%41%
52%41%
52%40%
October/November51%41%
59%40%
Actual result57.37%41.97%
Difference between actual result and final poll-1.63%+1.97%

After consistently leading in the polls by large margins, incumbent President Eisenhower was easily re-elected due to economic prosperity at home and the end of the Korean War abroad. [11] [12]

1960

1960 Presidential Polling 1960 Presidential Polling.png
1960 Presidential Polling
1960 [3]
Month John F. Kennedy (D) % Richard Nixon (R) %
December 1959/January 196043%48%
February/March48%48%
50%45%
April/May51%44%
48%47%
47%49%
June/July50%46%
August/September44%50%
47%47%
48%47%
46%47%
October/November49%46%
49%45%
51%49%
Actual result49.72%49.55%
Difference between actual result and final poll-1.28%+0.55%

Polls throughout the campaign indicated a very close race. Incumbent Vice President Nixon initially led, but then had problems (a poor image in the first television debate and a knee injury which prevented him from campaigning) which gave Kennedy the lead in the polls for most of the campaign. In the end, Kennedy had an extremely close victory. [13]

1964

1964 Presidential Polling 1964 Presidential Polling.png
1964 Presidential Polling
1964 [3]
Month Lyndon B. Johnson (D) % Barry Goldwater (R) %
June77%18%
76%20%
July62%26%
59%31%
August65%29%
September65%29%
62%32%
October64%29%
64%36%
Actual result61.05%38.47%
Difference between actual result and final poll-2.95%+2.47%

Incumbent President Johnson maintained a large lead in the polls and won in a landslide due to popular sympathy after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a good economy, lack of severe foreign problems, and an effective campaign to portray Goldwater as a dangerous, out-of-touch extremist.

1968

1968 Presidential Polling 1968 Presidential Polling.png
1968 Presidential Polling
1968 [3]
Month Richard Nixon (R) % Hubert Humphrey (D) % George Wallace (American Independent) %
April43%34%9%
May39%36%14%
36%42%14%
June37%42%14%
July35%40%16%
40%38%16%
August45%29%18%
September43%31%19%
43%28%21%
44%29%20%
October44%36%15%
November43%42%15%
Actual result43.42%42.72%13.53%
Difference between actual result and final poll+0.42%+0.72%-1.47%

The campaign was always close according to the polls, but after the tumultuous 1968 Democratic Convention Nixon established and maintained a lead. American Independent candidate George Wallace ran in opposition to civil rights and in support of segregation and received considerable support in the South. Humphrey began catching up to Nixon in the polls late in the campaign, but ran out of time as Nixon won a narrow victory.

1972

1972 Presidential Polling 1972 Presidential Polling.png
1972 Presidential Polling
1972 [3]
Month Richard Nixon (R)  % George McGovern (D) %
May53%34%
June53%37%
July56%37%
August57%31%
64%30%
September61%33%
October60%34%
59%36%
November62%38%
Actual result60.67%37.52%
Difference between actual result and final poll-1.33%-0.48%

Incumbent President Nixon was re-elected in a landslide, winning every state except Massachusetts after maintaining a large poll lead due to the economic recovery from the 1969–1970 recession and his portrayal of McGovern as a foreign-policy lightweight and social radical ("amnesty, abortion, and acid"). McGovern was also hurt by his change of vice-presidential candidates in mid-campaign, raising questions about his judgement. [14]

1976

1976 Presidential Election 1976 Presidential Election.png
1976 Presidential Election
1976 [3]
Month Jimmy Carter (D) % Gerald Ford (R) %
March47%42%
48%46%
48%46%
April48%43%
May52%42%
53%40%
June55%37%
53%36%
July62%29%
August54%32%
51%36%
September51%40%
October47%45%
47%41%
48%49%
Actual result50.08%48.02%
Difference between actual result and final poll+2.08%-0.98%

Carter opened up a large lead over incumbent President Ford due to dissatisfaction with Watergate, Ford's pardon of Nixon and the sluggish economy. Ford closed the gap near the end of the campaign with good debate performances, among other things. He was hurt by his comment that there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and ran out of time to close the polling gap with Carter, who won by a narrow margin.

1980

1980 Presidential Election 1980 Presidential Election.png
1980 Presidential Election
1980 [3]
Month Ronald Reagan (R) %Jimmy Carter (D) % John B. Anderson (I) %
December 1979/January 198033%62%
February/March31%60%
33%58%
34%40%21%
April/May34%41%18%
32%38%21%
32%40%21%
June/July32%39%21%
33%35%24%
37%32%22%
37%34%21%
August/September45%29%14%
38%39%13%
39%39%14%
October/November40%44%9%
39%45%9%
47%44%8%
Actual result50.75%41.01%6.61%
Difference between actual result and final poll+3.75%-2.99%-1.39%

During primary season, incumbent Jimmy Carter held a steady lead over Republican front-running California Governor Ronald Reagan. Reagan passed Carter in the polls after the primaries, winning over voters dissatisfied with Carter's handling of the economy, the energy crisis, and the Iran hostage crisis. As the race ended, Carter had apparently closed the gap with Reagan; some outlets gave him the lead. Reagan ran an upbeat campaign focused on fixing the economy and restoring America's image, diminished by Watergate and the war in Vietnam. Carter was more negative, attacking Reagan's record on civil rights and social issues, but Reagan easily defeated him. [15]

1984

1984 Presidential Election 1984 Presidential Election.png
1984 Presidential Election
1984 [3]
MonthRonald Reagan (R) % Walter Mondale (D) %
December 1983/January 198448%47%
53%43%
February/March52%42%
50%45%
52%44%
April/May54%41%
52%44%
50%46%
53%43%
June/July53%44%
55%38%
51%43%
53%39%
53%41%
August/September52%41%
56%37%
58%37%
55%39%
October/November58%38%
56%39%
59%41%
Actual result58.77%40.56%
Difference between actual result and final poll-0.23%-0.44%

Reagan had low approval ratings early in his first term, [16] but by 1983 the economy had improved enough to give him a boost for re-election. His challenger was former Vice President Walter Mondale, who advocated a nuclear freeze, the Equal Rights Amendment and a balanced budget. Mondale benefited from a strong first debate (where the 73-year-old Reagan seemed slow), but the Reagan-Bush ticket had a resounding election victory. Reagan again cast himself as the candidate of optimism, taking credit for an improved economy and an increase in national pride after the social upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s. Mondale's unpopular proposal to raise taxes to reduce the deficit and association with the Carter administration's "malaise" largely doomed his campaign from the start. [17]

1988

1988 Presidential Election 1988 Presidential Election.png
1988 Presidential Election
1988 [3]
Month George H. W. Bush (R) % Michael Dukakis (D) %
March52%40%
April45%43%
May38%54%
June38%52%
41%46%
July41%47%
37%54%
August42%49%
September49%41%
47%42%
October50%40%
November56%44%
Actual result53.37%45.65%
Difference between actual result and final poll-2.63%+1.65%

Although Dukakis took a large lead in the initial polls, Vice President Bush's campaign portrayed him as soft on crime and used the good economy, Reagan's popularity and Bush's no new taxes pledge to close the gap and eventually take a large lead. Bush easily won the general election.

1992

1992 Presidential Polls 1992 Presidential Polls.png
1992 Presidential Polls
1992 [3]
Month Bill Clinton (D) %George H. W. Bush (R) % Ross Perot (I) %
March25%44%24%
April26%41%25%
May29%35%30%
25%35%35%
June26%30%38%
25%31%39%
24%24%37%
24%32%34%
27%33%32%
July40%48%
56%34%
56%36%
57%32%
August56%37%
50%39%
52%42%
September54%39%
51%42%
50%40%
54%38%
51%35%8%
October47%35%10%
50%34%9%
51%33%10%
46%34%13%
47%34%14%
47%29%15%
44%32%17%
41%30%20%
42%31%19%
40%38%16%
41%40%14%
43%36%15%
November49%37%14%
Actual result43.01%37.45%18.91%
Difference between actual result and final poll-5.99%+0.45%+4.91%

The polls fluctuated during the spring and early summer, with incumbent President Bush and independent challenger Ross Perot trading the lead. Perot withdrew from the race in July, however, and Clinton took a consistent lead in the polls by blaming Bush for the poor economy and promising that he would fix it ("It's the economy, stupid"). Although Perot returned to the race in September, he could not regain his previous support and Clinton won the general election by a comfortable margin.

1996

1996 Presidential Polls 1996 Presidential Polls.png
1996 Presidential Polls
1996 [3]
MonthBill Clinton (D) % Bob Dole (R) %Ross Perot (Reform) %
January43%39%16%
February
March47%34%17%
April49%35%15%
May47%32%19%
49%35%15%
June49%33%17%
July50%33%12%
50%35%10%
August52%30%12%
48%39%7%
50%38%7%
51%38%7%
55%34%6%
September53%36%5%
54%36%4%
55%34%5%
55%34%5%
55%32%6%
51%34%8%
50%36%6%
52%36%4%
53%34%6%
51%38%5%
49%39%6%
51%37%6%
57%32%5%
October53%36%6%
51%39%5%
55%35%5%
55%34%6%
51%38%5%
56%35%4%
48%39%5%
51%36%8%
54%35%6%
52%33%8%
53%34%6%
54%34%7%
49%37%7%
51%35%10%
50%37%7%
November52%41%7%
Actual result49.23%40.72%8.40%
Difference between actual result and final poll-2.77%-0.28%+1.40%

Incumbent President Clinton held a comfortable lead in the polls throughout the campaign due to the good economy, stable international situation, and tying Dole to Newt Gingrich (the unpopular speaker of the House), easily winning the general election.

2000

2000 Presidential Polls 2000 Presidential Polls.png
2000 Presidential Polls
2000 [3]
Month George W. Bush (R) % Al Gore (D) % Ralph Nader (Green) %
April47%41%4%
May
June46%41%6%
50%38%6%
July45%43%5%
50%39%4%
August54%37%4%
55%39%2%
46%47%3%
46%45%3%
September44%47%3%
46%45%2%
42%49%3%
41%49%4%
42%49%2%
41%49%3%
44%48%2%
41%51%3%
42%50%2%
47%44%2%
46%44%2%
46%44%3%
45%45%4%
October41%49%2%
40%51%2%
48%41%4%
50%42%4%
45%45%2%
45%45%3%
48%43%2%
47%44%3%
51%40%4%
44%46%4%
49%42%3%
52%39%4%
49%42%3%
47%44%3%
47%43%4%
November47%43%4%
48%46%4%
Actual result47.91%48.42%2.74%
Difference between actual result and final poll-0.09%+2.42%-1.26%

The election was close throughout the campaign; Gore used the good economy to his advantage, but was hurt by being perceived as robotic and pompous. The Lewinsky scandal also might have hurt him, and helped Bush in the polls with voters concerned about moral values.

Despite multiple court challenges by the Gore campaign after a recount in Florida, the Supreme Court upheld the election; Bush won the Electoral College despite losing the popular vote by 0.51%. [18]

2004

2004 Presidential Polls 2004 Presidential Polls.png
2004 Presidential Polls
2004 [3]
MonthGeorge W. Bush (R) % John Kerry (D) %
March44%50%
49%45%
April47%43%
50%44%
May47%47%
47%45%
46%47%
June43%49%
48%47%
July45%50%
46%47%
51%45%
August48%46%
48%46%
September52%45%
52%44%
October49%49%
48%49%
52%44%
51%46%
49%49%
Actual result50.73%48.27%
Difference between actual result and final poll+1.73%-0.73%

The election was closely contested, as dissatisfaction with the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War and a sluggish economy helped Kerry. Bush accused Kerry of flip-flopping, however, [19] and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth accused Kerry of being unpatriotic.

A week before the election, al-Qaeda released a video warning Americans not to re-elect Bush. Bush's poll ratings in swing states then gave him a comfortable lead, and he was re-elected. [3]

2008

2008 Presidential Polls 2008 Presidential Polls.png
2008 Presidential Polls
2008 [3]
Month Barack Obama (D) % John McCain (R) %
March46%44%
43%47%
April46%43%
45%45%
May42%48%
47%43%
44%47%
June48%41%
45%45%
July48%42%
45%44%
49%40%
44%44%
August48%42%
45%45%
50%42%
September44%49%
50%44%
46%46%
October52%41%
49%43%
52%42%
53%40%
53%42%
Actual result52.91%45.64%
Difference between actual result and final poll-0.09%+3.64%

The campaign was close during the spring and summer, with Obama and McCain trading the lead. The economy went into recession in December 2007, [20] but Obama was initially hurt in the polls by Hillary Clinton supporters. [21] The Republicans attacked him for being inexperienced, [22] and McCain got a temporary bump in the polls after choosing Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential nominee. The financial crisis allowed Obama to open a consistent, comfortable lead in the polls at the beginning of October, however, and he won the election by a comfortable margin. [3]

2012

2012 Presidential Polls 2012 Presidential Polls.png
2012 Presidential Polls
2012 [23]
MonthBarack Obama (D) % Mitt Romney (R) %
February48%44%
49%43%
49%44%
March47%45%
48%44%
April48%43%
49%43%
47%44%
48%44%
May47%44%
46%46%
47%45%
46%44%
June48%45%
46%45%
47%44%
July46%45%
47%45%
46%45%
47%45%
August48%44%
47%45%
47%46%
September47%47%
49%45%
48%45%
49%45%
October49%46%
47%48%
47%47%
47%48%
November49%48%
Actual result51.07%47.20%
Difference between actual result and final poll+2.07%-0.80%

President Obama and his campaign aired early negative ads calling Republican challenger Mitt Romney an out-of-touch, plutocratic, wealthy job destroyer since his days as CEO at Bain Capital. Romney bounced back in the polls after strong performances in the primaries and because the economy was still recovering from the 2007–2009 recession.

In April, after Obama publicly expressed his support of same-sex marriage and a story was published about Romney bullying a high-school classmate who was thought to be gay, Obama took larger leads in the polls. Romney and the Republicans attacked him for claiming that the economy was doing well, for welfare waivers, and China's unfair trade practices. The polls were close during most of the summer as Romney made several gaffes on a trip to Europe and Israel during the Olympics. He was also hurt by the release of a speech he delivered at a campaign fundraiser in which suggested that 47 percent of Americans, who did not pay federal income taxes, would "vote for the President, no matter what" because they felt "entitled to health care, to food, to housing - you name it."

After the conventions, Obama had a clear lead until he did poorly in the first debate. Romney took the lead, and the polls were tied in early and mid-October. The Democrats then regained their momentum; Obama won re-election by a closer margin in the popular vote, but by a large margin in the Electoral College.

2016

2016 Presidential Polls 2016 Presidential Polls.png
2016 Presidential Polls
2016 [24]
Month Donald Trump (R) % Hillary Clinton (D) % Gary Johnson (L)  % Jill Stein (G)  %
June36%41%7%4%
37%42%8%5%
July37%41%7%4%
38%41%9%4%
40%40%7%3%
August38%42%7%3%
36%44%9%4%
37%44%9%3%
37%42%9%3%
38%42%8%3%
September39%41%8%3%
40%42%9%3%
40%41%8%3%
42%43%7%2%
October41%44%7%3%
39%44%7%2%
39%46%7%2%
40%45%6%2%
November43%45%5%2%
42%46%5%2%
Actual result46.09%48.18%3.28%1.13%
Difference between actual result and final poll+4.09%+2.18%-1.72%-0.87%

Political outsider and businessman Donald Trump and former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were seen unfavorably by many pollsters and pundits, and it was predicted that Trump would lose by a large margin to Democratic opponent Clinton. Trump won over many white, blue-collar workers in the Great Lakes and Rust Belt regions (former Democratic strongholds), enabling him to win the Electoral College despite losing the popular vote by slightly over two percent. [25]

2020

2020 Presidential Polls 2020 Presidential Polls.png
2020 Presidential Polls
2020 [26]
Month Joe Biden (D) %Donald Trump (R) %
February50%45%
50%46%
March50%44%
51%44%
50%44%
April47%42%
48%42%
May47%43%
49%44%
48%42%
June49%42%
50%42%
51%41%
50%40%
July50%41%
49%40%
50%41%
51%42%
August49%42%
50%42%
September49%43%
50%43%
49%43%
October51%42%
52%42%
51%43%
November51%44%
Actual result51.31%46.86%
Difference between actual result and final poll+0.31%+2.86%

Former Vice President Joe Biden had been leading in most national polls, but President Donald Trump believed that the polls would underestimate him again. Although the polls had underestimated Trump's strength nationally and in Ohio, Florida, and Iowa, Biden won back the blue Midwestern states and made inroads in the Sun Belt to win the election

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The Keys to the White House is a prediction system for determining the outcome of presidential elections in the United States. It was developed by American historian Allan Lichtman and Russian geophysicist Vladimir Keilis-Borok in 1981, adapting prediction methods that Keilis-Borok designed for earthquake prediction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convention bounce</span>

A convention bounce or convention bump refers to an increase in support that U.S. presidential candidates in the Republican or Democratic party typically enjoy after the televised national convention of their party. A presumptive nominee for president may also be said to experience a "VP bounce" after announcing his or her pick for vice president prior to the convention. The size and impact of convention bumps vary, but presidential candidates usually see at least a small uptick in their polling numbers coming out of their conventions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States presidential election</span> 57th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 2012 United States presidential election was the 57th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, incumbent Vice President Joe Biden, were re-elected to a second term. They defeated the Republican ticket of former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 United States presidential election in South Carolina</span> Election in South Carolina

The 2008 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Reagan 1980 presidential campaign</span> 1980 presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan

In 1980, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush were elected president and vice president of the United States. They defeated the incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gallup's most admired man and woman poll</span> Annual opinion poll in the United States

Gallup, an American analytics and advisory company, conducted an annual opinion poll to determine the most admired man and woman in the United States at the end of most years from 1946 to 2020. Americans are asked, without prompting, to say which man and woman "living today in any part of the world" they admire the most. The results of the poll were published as a top ten list. In most years, the most admired man was the incumbent president of the United States, and the most admired woman was the first lady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reagan era</span> Period in the history of the United States, 1981–1991

The Reagan era or Age of Reagan is a periodization of recent American history used by historians and political observers to emphasize that the conservative "Reagan Revolution" led by President Ronald Reagan in domestic and foreign policy had a lasting impact. It overlaps with what political scientists call the Sixth Party System. Definitions of the Reagan era universally include the 1980s, while more extensive definitions may also include the late 1970s, the 1990s, and even the 2000s. In his 2008 book, The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974–2008, historian and journalist Sean Wilentz argues that Reagan dominated this stretch of American history in the same way that Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal legacy dominated the four decades that preceded it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States presidential election in Virginia</span> Election in Virginia

The 2012 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Virginia voters chose 13 electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States presidential election in North Carolina</span>

The 2016 United States presidential election in North Carolina held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. North Carolina voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. North Carolina had 15 electoral votes in the Electoral College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States presidential election in Iowa</span>

The 2016 United States presidential election in Iowa was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Iowa voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against the Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. Iowa has six electoral votes in the Electoral College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States presidential election in New York</span>

The 2016 United States presidential election in New York was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. New York voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. New York has 29 electoral votes in the Electoral College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States presidential election in Ohio</span> Election in Ohio

The 2020 United States presidential election in Ohio was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Ohio voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee—incumbent President Donald Trump and his running mate, Vice President Mike Pence—against the Democratic Party nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris. Ohio had 18 electoral votes in the Electoral College.

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