Jonathan Milner Jonathan Milner

What percent of states voted for the same party for Senate and President in 2024?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. According to the data from the visual above, in the 2024 election, what percentage of American states voted for the same party for Senate as for President?

  2. According to the data from the visual above, in the 1980 election, what percentage of American states voted for the same party for Senate as for President?

  3. According to the data from the visual above, in what election year did the highest percentage of American states vote for the same party for Senate and President?

  4. Based on the data from the visual above, since 1980, describe the trend in states voting for the same party for Senate and President.

  5. The four mismatches, out of 34 Senate elections this year, made for a “mismatch rate” of nearly 12%. That’s the highest since the 2017-18 cycle, when the mismatch rate was 22%, according to Pew Research Center’s analysis of twelve presidential election results going back to 1980. President-Senate mismatches of this sort used to be fairly common. But since 1990, fewer than half of Senate elections have diverged from their state’s most recent presidential vote – and over the past dozen years, the trend has been for fewer and fewer to do so. What do you think explains that recent trend?

  6. Describe two ways a U.S. senate with a majority that is in opposition to the president can slow or stop that president’s agenda.

  7. When Americans elect a president and a majority of the Senate of the same party, how does that impact the power of checks and balances?

  8. Describe one difference in the method Americans use to vote for Senators versus President?

  9. This year, the following states chose Trump for president and sent a Democrat to the Senate:

    • Arizona: Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) won the seat that independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is vacating.

    • Michigan: Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D) will succeed retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

    • Nevada: Incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen (D) fended off political newcomer Sam Brown.

    • Wisconsin: Incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) edged out financier Eric Hovde.

    What do these four states have in common regarding their demographics and party affiliation?

  10. This year no states had mismatches in the other direction, electing Republican senators but picking Democrat Kamala Harris for president. Make a claim about whether it is better for states to split their ticket - electing senator from one party and a president from another.

Learning Extension

Check out these Pew Research Center report about presidential-Senatorial mismatch elections.

 
 

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Contact your U.S. Senators and let them know how you think they should work with the incoming president.

Get Creative

If the 2024 election were a movie, what movie would it be?

Learning Extension

Which party won each state in the following presidential election?

Glossary

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