2016 United States Presidential Election in California
The 2016 United States presidential election in California was a pivotal moment in the state's political landscape. Californians cast their votes in a contest that saw the Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, facing off against the Republican nominee, businessman Donald Trump. With 55 electoral votes at stake—the highest of any state—California played a significant role in the Electoral College.
Hillary Clinton emerged victorious in California, securing 61.73% of the vote, which translated to a substantial margin of 30.11% over Donald Trump. This impressive performance saw Clinton garnering a vote difference of 4,269,978. Despite her win in California, Trump went on to win the presidency, marking only the fourth time in U.S. history that a Republican won the presidency without carrying California. This election was notable for several reasons:
- Clinton's margin of victory was the largest for a Democrat in California since 1936.
- Clinton became the first Democrat to win Orange County since 1936, making Trump the first Republican to win the presidency without winning this traditionally conservative county.
- Trump's 31.62% vote share was the worst performance by a Republican presidential nominee in California since 1856.
2020 United States Presidential Election in California
The 2020 presidential election in California saw the state's voters choosing between incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, with Kamala Harris, a California senator, as Biden's running mate. Despite California being a reliable blue state, Trump managed to improve his performance from 2016, receiving a larger percentage of the two-party vote.
Joe Biden carried California with 63.5% of the vote, a 29.2% margin over Trump. Biden's share of the vote was the highest for any candidate in California since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, though his margin of victory was slightly smaller than Clinton's in 2016. Noteworthy points from the 2020 election in California include:
- Biden became the first candidate to win over 10 million votes in a single state.
- Trump also set a record for the most votes ever received by a Republican in any state, even surpassing his total in Texas.
- This election marked the first time since 2004 that a Republican candidate received over one million votes in Los Angeles County.
Looking Ahead: The 2024 Presidential Election in California
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, California remains a critical state with its 54 electoral votes, the most of any state. The election is expected to see incumbent Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, as the frontrunner. California has consistently voted Democratic in presidential elections since 1992, and it is predicted to continue this trend in 2024.
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