Reality Check: How Did President Trump Lose Minnesota In 2020?
-Originally published on Wednesday, Nov. 11-
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - President Trump is claiming fraud in a handful of states he lost in the election, but not in Minnesota.
The president had hoped to flip Minnesota red for the first time since 1972. The state holds the longest winning streak for Democrats of any state in the nation.
President Trump will never set foot in Minnesota again. That's not Minnesota saying that -- it's according to the president.
"What we've done for Minnesota, if I lose Minnesota, I'm never coming back," Trump said. "I don't care. I'm never coming back!"
President Trump and President-elect Joe Biden set their sights on Minnesota early, as a possible swing-state pickup.
They and their running mates visited Minnesota nine times since August. Together, the candidates and their political allies spent $27 million on Minnesota media.
So, what did it get them? President Trump got more Minnesota votes in 2020 than he did in 2016. But this time, he lost Minnesota by an even bigger margin, making Minnesota more blue again.
In 2016: Trump got 1,367,716 million votes, but he lost Minnesota to Democrat Hillary Clinton by 44,765 votes.
In 2020, Trump got 1,484,834 million votes, but lost to Democrat Joe Biden by 231,633 votes.
Here's what happened: Trump got big support from small communities, and sparsely populated greater Minnesota counties. But most Minnesota voters live in urban areas. Biden won in the suburbs, in college towns and medical centers like Republican Rochester.
And remember that Trump campaign commercial all summer long, predicting riots and crime if Biden won? Those urban center targets turned out in huge numbers, with 90% in Hennepin County -- giving Biden an insurmountable lead.
As of Wednesday, Minnesota's voter turnout is just shy of 80%. The state is hoping to lead the nation in turnout again.
Here are some of the sources used for this Realty Check:
Minnesota Secretary of State: U.S. President 2020 Unofficial Results Map Margin By County
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