When his victory was announced, around 11:40 a.m. Belgian time, Donald Trump had gathered 70.9 million votes against 66 million votes for Kamala Harris. If the Democrat should narrow the gap somewhat in the final counts, it is certain that the Republican will win the popular vote. This popular vote is simply the addition of every vote cast across the country. It is not decisive for the election since the president is elected by winning a certain number of states in which there are a sufficient number of electors to reach 270 electors.
Donald Trump should therefore win this popular vote, and this is something that no one had anticipated, neither the polling institutes nor the experts. “We thought the Republicans would never win the popular vote again.”confides Serge Jaumain, professor ofcontemporary history at the Free University of Brussels, specialist in North America. Joe Biden won the popular vote during his victory in 2020, but Hillary Clinton also won it in 2016 during her defeat against Donald Trump. “Let's remember that she was 3 million votes ahead of the Republican, despite her defeat”resituates Serge Jaumain. His lead of nearly 5 million votes “shows real support for Donald Trump across the population. He succeeded in puttinggenda its priority themes: security, the border and the economy.”
Since the popular vote is identical to the vote of the electors,
it is a good thing for democracy because victory then represents the true will of the population
Serge Jaumain, teacher of hcontemporary history at the Free University of Brussels
But Serge Jaumain sees, in this victory of the popular vote, a positive element. “This will avoid discussions on the political system of voters and swing states which poses many problems. Since the popular vote is identical to the vote of the electors, it is a good thing for democracy because victory then represents the true will of the population.“
