The last time a Republican candidate won the popular vote in a presidential election was in 2004, when George W. Bush was re-elected for a second term.
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A candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election if they receive more votes from the general public but fewer electoral votes from the Electoral College. The Electoral College system in the United States determines the winner of the presidential election based on the number of electoral votes each candidate receives, rather than the total number of popular votes nationwide.
The three methods of presidential election discussed by the framers of the Constitution were the election by Congress, election by state legislatures, and election by popular vote. They ultimately settled on the Electoral College system as a compromise between these options.
Electoral votes are calculated based on the number of senators and representatives each state has. Each state has a total number of electoral votes equal to the sum of its senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state typically receives all of that state's electoral votes. The candidate who reaches at least 270 out of 538 total electoral votes wins the presidential election.
A popular election refers to a voting process in which the general public has the opportunity to cast their votes for a candidate or issue. It typically involves all eligible citizens participating in the decision-making process through voting. The outcome is determined by the majority vote of the population.
Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, receiving about 2.9 million more votes than Donald Trump. However, Donald Trump won the Electoral College and thus became President.