Donald Trump set to break 132-year record with non-consecutive term win

Republican candidate Donald Trump stands on the verge of a rare achievement in American history: securing a non-consecutive second term as President of the United States, a feat last accomplished 132 years ago. If he clinches victory, Trump will join only one other president, Grover Cleveland, who served two non-consecutive terms in the White House, governing from 1885-1889 and 1893-1897, according to CNBC TV.

With key swing states Georgia and Pennsylvania now leaning in his favour, Trump is close to crossing the decisive threshold of 270 electoral votes. This moment is particularly significant as he also stands on the verge of becoming the first Republican to win the popular vote in two decades. In 2016, despite securing a commanding 304 of the 538 electoral votes, he fell short of winning the popular vote.

The last leader to follow a similar path was Cleveland, a Democrat who, after narrowly losing to Republican Benjamin Harrison in 1888, made a powerful comeback four years later, winning 277 of the 444 electoral votes. Unlike Trump, however, Cleveland had won the popular vote in 1888 by over 90,000 votes.

Historical parallels between Cleveland and Trump extend beyond their bids for non-consecutive terms. Both figures hailed from New York and entered the political landscape as “outsiders,” pledging to reform a “corrupt” Washington DC. Neither had served in the US Congress or held a federal position before their White House campaigns, yet both successfully captivated American voters with promises of change.

Formidable opponents also defined both men’s paths to the presidency. Trump’s 2016 triumph over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mirrors his latest challenge against Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s own ascent involved defeating Republican leader James G Blaine in 1884 and later reclaiming the presidency by ousting President Harrison in 1892. Notably, like Clinton, Blaine had served as Secretary of State and faced allegations of corruption during his presidential campaign, adding an intriguing layer to these parallels.

Yet, the comparisons have their limits. Unlike Trump, who had no prior government experience before assuming office in 2017, Cleveland had served as New York’s Governor. Additionally, while Cleveland consistently won the popular vote, Trump’s record shows a divergence: he lost it in both 2016 and 2020. Interestingly, this aligns Trump with Harrison, the very candidate who had outpaced Cleveland electorally but lost in popular support in both 1888 and 1892.