Ohio misses presidential winner for first time since 1960
Democrat Joe Biden will become the first candidate to win the presidency without Ohio since 1960, ending Ohio’s long streak of picking the eventual winner and highlighting its diminished status as a battleground swing state.
Ohio voters chose Republican President Donald Trump by about 8 percentage points in unofficial results, the same margin as in 2016. On Saturday, the Associated Press and others declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner after it determined the uncounted ballots in Pennsylvania wouldn’t be enough for Trump to catch up.
Ohio’s winner had gone on to win the Electoral College for 14 consecutive elections, starting in 1964. Florida had the second-longest streak of six election winners. That too ended this week.
But Ohio’s record – three misses since 1900 – still puts it in the top tier of bellwether states. Florida, Nevada and New Mexico also have missed three times. New Mexico, which missed in 2016, has the longest streak of picking the popular vote winner.
Ohio was a more important state for Trump to win on the way to 270 electoral college votes; Biden had more paths to get there without Ohio. The adage “no Republican has won the White House without Ohio” still stands.
And Ottawa County, on Lake Erie between Toledo and Sandusky, keeps its title as the bellwether of Ohio, choosing Ohio’s winner every election since 1944. Trump won Tuesday with about 61% of the vote there, according to unofficial results.
But Ohio’s record – three misses since 1900 – still puts it in the top tier of bellwether states. Florida, Nevada and New Mexico also have missed three times.