Trumpled (Alternative Leading)

[Lods]

In terms of actual votes, Hilary Clinton got more than Trump in 2016, and Biden got more than Trump in 2020. He seems to have the loudest, most devoted, most attention getting voters, and I think frankly they tend to inflate how popular he really is. Losing the vote count in two consecutive elections appears to back that up.

Yet despite all the turbulence, and in the midst of a pandemic he appears to have handled poorly, he actually increased his vote... from 2016 (63 million) to 2020. (74 million)
You heard many folks in lead up documentaries and interviews say they voted for Trump in 2016 and weren't voting for him in 2020.
I don't recall any saying they voted for Clinton but would this time vote for Trump.
So if they were to be believed, Trump lost a lot of support but still managed to counteract and surpass that with support he picked up.

I suspect much of the real damage to Trump's support has actually occurred from his actions after the election, especially with the events  surrounding the  Capitol incident.
He wasn't a politicians bootlace (clueless) and the 'politicians' are back in charge of the asylum

But there must be some concerns surrounding that initial level of support.
If someone with a bit of 'political nous' can harness that support it may present the Democrats with a few problems a couple of years down the track.

But for now Trump's gone.
He wont be back
Much of his Republican support since the election was there with one eye on the Georgia Senate race and an attempt to present a bit of a united front . With Trump's antics post election that was always going to be a problem and it failed dramatically. That eroded Trump support amongst the Republican lawmakers and it was given another big whack with his Capitol capers. There's every chance an angry senate will do him over at the impeachment trial.

But it's time to move on.
Probably time to start the 'Biden alternative' thread.
"We wont have Nixon Trump to kick around anymore." (ironically Nixon did come back from that comment...but I doubt Trump will. )
The challenge for Biden won't be an easy one.
He'll have the competing factors of trying to mend a bridge to the 'not so radical' Trump voters and Republican lawmakers (that's actually one of his strengths)... and a Democratic party with House, Senate and White House control hell bent on pursuing a progressive agenda.