Trump gets in the way of America getting its Madame President, again

The wait for America to get its first woman president gets longer as Donald Trump scripted an extraordinary comeback to win the race to the White House. With this, two women have now lost elections to Trump. Kamala Harris's stunning loss has rekindled memories of the 2016 showdown when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton too tasted defeat.

The scenarios were eerily similar. In 2016, as well as in 2024, surveys had predicted an edge for the Democratic presidential candidates. In 2016, Trump swept the swing states, except for Nevada. In 2024, all the states went to Trump's kitty.

However, in 2016, Trump lost the popular vote to Clinton by nearly 2.9 million despite clinching 306 electoral college votes. This time, Trump has created history by becoming the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years. His electoral college numbers are also likely to cross 300 this time.

On Election night, as projections showed a lead for Trump, Harris cancelled her speech to supporters who had gathered at her alma mater, Howard University. Candidates usually address presidential election watch parties on election night. Coincidentally, Clinton had also refrained from addressing supporters in person despite entering Election Day as the favourite of poll pundits.

"We still have votes to countâ€æ So you won't hear from the vice president tonight," Cedric Richmond, co-chair of Harris's campaign said. In 2016, Clinton's campaign chair delivered a similar message, "Every vote should count. Several states are too close to call."

The campaign trails of Harris and Clinton also bore striking resemblences, with the two leaders focusing on issues such as healthcare, social justice, and gender equality.

On the other hand, Trump's campaign, like 2016, centred around his "Make America Great Again" slogan, which seems to have resonated with many Americans, particularly in the Rust Belt states. A promise to fix the economy and strengthen the borders worked wonders for Trump in wooing the working class and lower-middle-income voters this time as well.

As Trump returns as President for a second term, it shows the state of affairs of the two leading parties in the United States. For the Democrats, it marks another defeat in their struggle to break the highest glass ceiling. For the Republicans, it asserts Trump's influence within the party and the popularity he enjoys despite facing a host of legal issues and controversies.