The U.S. 2024 presidential race has sparked strong reminders of the 2016 showdown between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, with analysts noting stark similarities between Kamala Harris’ bid and Clinton’s ill-fated campaign. As vote counts progress, Trump has claimed North Carolina’s key electoral votes, marking his 23rd red-state victory as he looks poised to reclaim the presidency. Critical battleground states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, remain too close to call, keeping the path to victory uncertain for both candidates.
Poll Parallels to Clinton’s 2016 Loss
The 2016 election marked Trump’s debut as a major-party candidate, where he defied poll predictions, securing 306 electoral votes and shocking political pundits worldwide. Trump lost the popular vote to Clinton by nearly 2.9 million but won the Electoral College, securing a historic upset. Clinton had entered the race as the frontrunner, and her loss was widely felt among Democrats. This year, poll experts observe that Harris’ lead in both national and swing state polls is precariously narrow, much like Clinton’s position in 2016, a stark contrast to Biden’s stronger lead in 2020.
Political analyst Steve Kornacki from MSNBC pointed out that Harris’ early Michigan results closely resemble Clinton’s losing numbers in 2016, with Harris leading by less than 10 points, similar to Clinton’s eight-point margin in the same state. Kornacki noted that Biden had a much larger 14-point lead in Michigan in 2020, which helped secure his victory. Trump supporters view Harris’ slim lead as encouraging for their candidate’s prospects.
Eerie Election Night Echoes: Harris and Clinton’s Unspoken Defeats
On election night, both Clinton and Harris shared a striking resemblance: each refrained from addressing supporters in person, despite entering Election Day with optimism about their chances against Trump. Cedric Richmond, co-chair of Harris’ campaign, addressed attendees Tuesday night, saying, “We still have votes to count… So you won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow.”
In 2016, Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, delivered a similar message, declaring, “Every vote should count. Several states are too close to call.” This reluctance to speak directly highlighted the rising uncertainty in both campaigns as results came in.
The mood at Harris’ Election Night event, hosted at Howard University, turned solemn, resembling Clinton’s watch party at the Javits Center in 2016. At both events, initially hopeful supporters gradually departed, disappointed, as Trump’s possible victory loomed.
Final Campaign Push in Key States
The lead-up to Election Day saw a final push from both Harris, 60, and Trump, 78, particularly in Pennsylvania, a pivotal swing state. Both candidates presented contrasting visions for America’s future: Harris promised to move past “hate and divisiveness,” while Trump warned of challenges under Democratic leadership. With polls indicating a near tie between the two, millions of Americans cast their votes on Tuesday to elect the nation’s 47th president, marking the end of a fiercely polarized campaign.
As the results from key states continue to come in, the nation watches closely to see if 2024 will ultimately repeat the seismic shock of 2016.
ALSO READ: US Elections 2024: Is American Democracy In Danger? Voters Reveal Top Concerns In 2024 Election
