Here’s How the GOP Wins Again

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

For nearly two decades, the Republican party has failed to win the national popular vote in a presidential election. The last time a Republican candidate claimed victory in the popular vote was 2004, and the result was so tight that a single state could have altered the outcome of the Electoral College. Ohio was that state, and George W. Bush won it by a mere 118,000 votes. It was close enough that John Kerry nearly challenged the results there, and many on the left still believe the election was “stolen” from him—including Kerry himself.

The electorate has become even more divided since 2004, and the 2020 election demonstrated a comparatively small number of votes in each state could still influence the outcome of an election.

So, what can the Republican Party do about this? The answer is simple, even though it pains me to say it. The GOP has to use the same tools Democrats use to win elections: early voting and ballot harvesting.