The election of 2020 was unlike any in American history. Donald Trump, the outsider-turned-president, sought re-election after a turbulent first term. His challenger, former Delaware Senator and Vice President Joe Biden, framed the race as a “battle for the soul of the nation.” Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, economic collapse, and deep political division.
The election of 2020 would be record turnout, bitter disputes, and the most contested aftermath since 1876…
Donald Trump’s Presidency
Donald Trump’s 2016 upset win gave Republicans control of the White House for the first time in eight years. His presidency was marked by disruption and controversy.
Trump’s domestic agenda focused on undoing Barack Obama’s legacy. He attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017 — falling just short when three Republicans, including Senator John McCain, voted no. He signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, delivering tax breaks to corporations and middle-class families, and enacted sweeping deregulation. His administration also passed the bipartisan First Step Act to reform sentencing for non-violent drug offenders.
Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — giving conservatives a 6–3 majority. But his term was also defined by chaos: record turnover in top staff, harsh immigration policies such as the Muslim travel ban and family separations at the border, and widespread criticism of his handling of natural disasters and nationwide protests.
Foreign policy saw Trump withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, impose tariffs in a trade war with China, and order the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. He also pushed “America First” diplomacy, straining relations with traditional allies while brokering normalization deals between Israel and several Arab nations.
His administration faced two major scandals. The Mueller Investigation (2017–2019) confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election but found insufficient evidence of Trump campaign conspiracy. In late 2019, Trump became the third president impeached, charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. He was acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate in February 2020.
Despite all this, Trump consolidated his hold on the GOP and secured re-nomination with Mike Pence once again as his running mate.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
In early 2020, COVID-19 spread across the globe, bringing the United States to a standstill. Trump initially downplayed the virus, predicting it would “disappear.” As cases and deaths soared, lockdowns shuttered businesses, schools, and daily life. By Election Day, over 230,000 Americans had died, and the toll would climb much higher in the months that followed.
The pandemic triggered the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Unemployment peaked at nearly 15%, wiping out much of the economic growth from Trump’s first three years. His defiance of public health guidelines, refusal to wear masks, and decision to hold large rallies became defining campaign controversies.
Trump launched Operation Warp Speed, accelerating vaccine development that would bear fruit in late 2020. But his own October COVID diagnosis — followed by a swift recovery thanks to experimental treatments — underscored the pandemic’s central role in the election.
The Democratic Primary
The Democratic race began with a crowded field of 29 candidates. The early frontrunner, Bernie Sanders, won New Hampshire and Nevada, building momentum with progressive policies like Medicare for All. But concerns within the party establishment about Sanders’ electability led moderates to rally behind Joe Biden.
Biden’s struggling campaign was revived in South Carolina, where Representative James Clyburn’s endorsement delivered him a decisive win. Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar quickly endorsed Biden, helping him sweep Super Tuesday and secure the nomination. Biden chose California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first woman of color on a major-party ticket.
Campaign Strategies and Debates
The pandemic reshaped campaigning. Biden held virtual events and “drive-in” rallies, where supporters honked horns instead of cheering. Trump doubled down on in-person rallies, often ignoring safety protocols, energizing his base but alarming public health experts.
Biden’s message emphasized unity, empathy, and restoring stability, casting the race as a referendum on Trump’s handling of COVID-19 and his divisive leadership. Trump focused on reopening the economy, warning of “radical socialism,” and questioning the integrity of mail-in voting.
The debates captured the chaos of the campaign. The first debate was infamous for Trump’s interruptions and insults, prompting moderator Chris Wallace to lose control. The second debate was canceled after Trump tested positive for COVID-19. In the final debate, new rules allowed moderators to mute microphones, giving Biden space to press his message. Trump repeatedly attacked Biden over his son Hunter, while Biden asked viewers directly: “Will you shut up, man?” — a line that resonated widely.
The Election of 2020 Results
Turnout in the election of 2020 reached 66.8% — the highest since 1900, with over 158 million Americans voting. Mail-in ballots created a “red mirage / blue shift”: Trump led on election night, but Biden pulled ahead as absentee votes were counted.
Joe Biden won 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232, carrying 25 states, Washington D.C., and Nebraska’s 2nd District. Trump won 25 states and Maine’s 2nd District. Biden secured 51.3% of the popular vote (81.3 million votes) to Trump’s 46.8% (74.2 million) — the largest popular vote margin against an incumbent since 1932.
Key states decided the race. Biden rebuilt the “Blue Wall” of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, flipped Arizona and Georgia for the first time in decades, and held Sun Belt battlegrounds like Nevada. Trump dominated rural and white working-class voters, but Biden’s coalition of young people, women, minorities, and suburban voters proved decisive.
Kamala Harris’s election as Vice President made history: the first woman, the first African American, and the first South Asian American to hold the office.
January 6 and the Aftermath
Trump refused to concede, repeatedly claiming — without evidence — that the election had been stolen through fraud. His campaign and allies filed over 60 lawsuits; none produced proof of widespread wrongdoing. Republican officials in key states certified Biden’s win despite intense pressure.
On January 6, 2021, as Congress prepared to certify the Electoral College, Trump held a rally urging supporters to march on the Capitol. A violent mob stormed the building, injuring police officers, vandalizing offices, and forcing lawmakers to shelter. Rioters constructed a gallows and chanted threats against Vice President Pence. The insurrection shocked the nation and the world.
Trump was impeached a second time for “incitement of insurrection,” making him the first president impeached twice. Though seven Republican senators voted to convict, the Senate acquitted him. Trump’s social media accounts were suspended in the aftermath, though later reinstated under Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter, rebranded as “X.”
Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021, took place under unprecedented security. Trump declined to attend, becoming the first outgoing president to skip his successor’s swearing-in since 1869.
A Landmark Election
The election of 2020 was the highest-turnout presidential contest in American history. It marked the first time since 1992 that an incumbent was defeated by a former vice president. Just four years earlier, in the election of 2016, Trump’s populist surge had shocked the political establishment. In 2020, amid pandemic, recession, and national unrest, voters opted for Biden’s promise of stability.
The race revealed deep divisions in the American electorate — urban vs. rural, multicultural vs. nationalist, trust in institutions vs. mistrust of government. Joe Biden’s victory was a historic milestone, but it also set the stage for continuing political polarization and a turbulent decade ahead.