2000
The 2000 U.S. presidential election was won by George W. Bush (Republican) with 271 of 538 electoral votes, defeating Al Gore (Democratic). Electoral vote margin: 5 EV, popular-vote margin -0.5%; turnout 54.2%. The cycle falls in the Modern Polarization era of American electoral history.
The closest modern Electoral College fight
One of the closest and most disputed elections in US history. After 36 days of recounts in Florida, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Bush v. Gore to halt the recount, awarding Florida and the presidency to Bush. Gore won the national popular vote by over 543,000 but lost the Electoral College 271-266. Ralph Nader's Green Party candidacy won 97,421 votes in Florida — far more than Bush's final margin of 537 — making Nader a controversial spoiler. One Gore elector from DC abstained in protest.
Contested Florida recount; Supreme Court intervention; Nader spoiler effect; Clinton fatigue
Bush lost popular vote but won presidency; Supreme Court decided election; Nader spoiler in Florida
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Curated picksWhy We're Polarized
Ezra Klein
How modern American politics got this way.
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John Sides et al.
How Trump and the 2020 election reshaped the parties.
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Maggie Haberman
Trump in his own habitat.
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