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‹ 2016 2020 United States presidential election (20/20 Vision Scenario) 2024
2020 United States presidential election
November 3, 2020
Nominee Bernie Sanders Donald Trump
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Vermont Florida
Running mate Elizabeth Warren Mike Pence
Electoral vote 347 191
States carried 27 + DC 23
Percentage 52.4% 44.9%
Blue denotes states/districts won by Sanders/Warren. Red denotes those won by Trump/Pence. Numbers indicate electoral votes allotted to the winner of each state. Bright blue indicates a Democratic flip.
President before election
Donald Trump
Republican
Elected President
Bernie Sanders
Democratic

The 2020 United States presidential election was the 59th quadrennial United States presidential election, and was held on November 3, 2020. United States Senator, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, defeated incumbent United States President, Donald Trump of Florida. President Donald Trump was the first United States President since George H.W. Bush to not win re-election. Bernie Sanders became the oldest person ever to be elected president of the United States at 79 years old, the previous record-holder was Ronald Reagan in 1984 at age 73. Bernie Sanders also became the first Jewish person to ever be elected president, and Elizabeth Warren became the first woman ever to be elected Vice President.

Sanders and Trump were originally in a competitive race, until the Second Great Recession occurred during mid-August of 2020. By the time Trump left office, the Bureau of Labor Statistics had reported that U.S. unemployment was at 9.2%.

Sanders and Warren resigned from the Senate on January 15, 2020, and assumed the Presidency and Vice Presidency five days later. Vermont Governor Phil Scott appointed businessman Lawrence Zupan (R) to fill Sanders's vacant seat. A special election was held for Zupan's seat on December 7, 2021, in which U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D) won.

A special election for Warren's Senate seat was held in Massachusetts on March 17, 2021, in which Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) won.

The Democratic Party retained control of the House of Representatives, and narrowly gained control of the Senate by a 51-49 margin, but would later lose 2 seats in 2021 with the appointment of Lawrence Zupan and with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin switching his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.

Democratic primary[]

Nominee[]

  • Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator from Vermont (2007-2021) For President
    • Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2013-2021) For Vice President

Withdrew during primaries[]

  • Joe Biden, former U.S. Vice President from Delaware (2009-2017)
    • Withdrew and endorsed Bernie Sanders when Sanders became presumptive nominee
  • Pete Buttigieg, Mayor from South Bend, Indiana (2012-2020)
  • Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator from California (2017-present)
  • Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2013-2021) (ran as Bernie Sanders's running mate)
    • 2nd last to withdraw, endorsed Bernie Sanders over Joe Biden

Withdrew after Iowa caucuses[]

  • Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey (2013-present) (ran for re-election)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator from Minnesota (2007-present)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden

Withdrew before primaries[]

  • Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator from Colorado (2009-present)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City, New York (2002-2013)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana (2013-2021) (ran for Senate)
  • Bill de Blasio, Mayor from New York City, New York (2014-2022)
  • Julian Castro, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from Texas (2014-2017)
  • John Delaney, former U.S. Representative from Maryland (2013-2019)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Representative from Hawaii (2013-2021)
    • Endorsed Bernie Sanders
  • Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator from New York (2009-present)
  • Mike Gravel, former U.S. Senator from Alaska (1969-1981) (resides in California)
    • Endorsed Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie Sanders
  • John Hickenlooper, former Governor from Colorado (2011-2019) (ran for Senate)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington (2013-present) (ran for re-election)
  • Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative from Texas (2013-2019)
  • Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative from Ohio (2003-present) (ran for re-election)
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Tom Steyer, billionaire businessman and founder of Need To Impeach from California
    • Endorsed Joe Biden
  • Marianne Williamson, author and activist from California
    • Endorsed Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren
  • Andrew Yang, entrepreneur from New York

Withdrew after first debates[]

  • Eric Swalwell, U.S. Representative from California (2013-present) (ran for re-election)

Withdrew before debates[]

  • Richard Ojeda, former State Senator from West Virginia (2016-2019)

Minor withdrawn candidates[]

  • Wayne Messam, Mayor from Miramar, Florida (2015-present)
  • Seth Moulton, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (2015-present) (ran for re-election)
  • Joe Sestak, former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (2007-2011)

Results[]

State 1st place 2nd place 3rd place
Iowa Sanders Buttigieg Warren
New Hampshire Sanders Buttigieg Klobuchar
Nevada Sanders Buttigieg Biden
South Carolina Sanders Biden Steyer
SUPER TUESDAY
California Sanders Biden Warren
Alabama Biden Sanders Bloomberg
American Samoa Sanders Biden Warren
Arkansas Bloomberg Sanders Biden
Colorado Sanders Biden Warren
Maine Sanders Biden Warren
Massachusetts Sanders Warren Biden
Minnesota Sanders Klobuchar Warren
North Carolina Sanders Biden Bloomberg
Oklahoma Sanders Bloomberg Biden
Tennessee Biden Sanders Bloomberg
Texas Sanders Biden Warren
Utah Sanders Warren Biden
Vermont Sanders Buttigieg Biden
Virginia Sanders Bloomberg Biden
Democrats Abroad Sanders Biden Warren

Republican primary[]

Nominee[]

  • Donald Trump, U.S. President (2017-2021) For President
    • Mike Pence, U.S. Vice President (2017-2021) For Vice President

Withdrew during primaries[]

  • Joe Walsh, former U.S. Representative from Illinois (2011-2013)
    • Endorsed Donald Trump
  • Bill Weld, former Governor from Massachusetts (1991-1997)
    • Endorsed Justin Amash (Libertarian)

Withdrew before primaries[]

  • Mark Sanford, former U.S. Representative from South Carolina (2013-2019)

Minor withdrawn candidates[]

  • Rocky De La Fuente, perennial candidate

Electoral Breakdown[]

Electoral vote[]

Candidate Electoral vote Popular vote Margin of victory/loss
Bernard Sanders/Elizabeth Ann Warren (Democratic) 347 +115 52.4% +4.2 +156 EV
Donald John Trump/Michael Richard Pence (Republican) 191 -115 44.9% -1.2 -156 EV
Justin Amash/Robert Laurence Barr, Jr. (Libertarian) 0 1.8% -1.5 -347 EV
Howie Hawkins/Dario David Hunter (Green) 0 0.4% -0.7 -347 EV
Other - 0.5%

Primary summaries[]

‹ 2016 2020 United States presidential election (20/20 Vision Scenario)2024 ›
2020 Democratic Presidential Primary
Nominee Bernie Sanders Joe Biden Elizabeth Warren
Party Democratic Democratic Democratic
Home state Vermont Delaware Massachusetts
Running mate Elizabeth Warren (chosen after Sanders became nominee) --- ---
States carried 26 + DA + GU + PR 14 + AS + DC + NI + VI 10
Light blue denotes states won by Sanders. Green denotes those won by Biden. Brown denotes those won by Warren.
Nominee before election
Hillary Clinton
Democratic
Elected Nominee
Bernie Sanders
Democratic
‹ 2016 2020 United States presidential election (20/20 Vision Scenario)2024 ›
2020 Republican Presidential Primary
Nominee Donald Trump Bill Weld Joe Walsh
Party Republican Republican Republican
Home state Florida Massachusetts Illinois
Running mate Mike Pence --- ---
States carried 46 + AS + GU + NI + VI DC + PR None
Red denotes states won by Trump. (No primaries were held in Arizona, Kansas, Nevada, and South Carolina.)
Nominee before election
Donald Trump
Republican
Elected Nominee
Donald Trump
Republican