Three Fun Facts About Yesterday’s Election

by Stuart Shapiro

Analysis later, trivia now!

•  Since 1932, when the Republicans have Richard Nixon or a member of the Bush family on the ticket, they are 9-2.  When they do not, they are 0-10.
• President Obama yesterday became the third Democrat in 180 years to win a majority of the vote twice (Grover Cleveland and FDR were the others).
• The Democrats have won the popular vote in 5 of the last 6 presidential elections.  Prior to that the Republicans had won the popular vote in five out of six elections.  Then the Democrats moved to the center by nominating Bill Clinton.  Will the Republicans learn from history?

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.