Democrats usually stick together. But this man is flipping the script.
Because he went on The View and betrayed everyone.
The notion that President Donald Trump’s 2024 election win lacked a “mandate” got a fiery takedown from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith during a clash with Joy Behar on “The View.”
Behar tossed out the idea that Trump’s victory didn’t carry much weight, pointing to his razor-thin 1% edge in the popular vote and the GOP’s narrow grip on Congress.
She even dubbed his popular vote margin “the smallest ever,” suggesting it was far from a roaring triumph.
“What kind of mandate is this really?” Behar pressed Smith, skepticism dripping from her words.
Smith didn’t flinch, countering with a clear-eyed breakdown of why Trump’s win deserves the label.
He highlighted the president’s clean sweep of all seven swing states, his surprising gains with minority and working-class voters, and his status as the first Republican in two decades to snag the popular vote—a feat that’s tough to brush off.
“Well it is a mandate and I’m gonna explain why,” Smith fired back.
“And I don’t mind the question but let me be very clear, I’m no supporter of Trump. I’m a supporter of truth and the facts, and here’s the facts. The man won every swing state, he increased voter turnout in his favor from the standpoint of blacks, Latinos, and young voters. He increased his numbers in that regard from 2020. 89% of the counties shifted to the right. That’s a mandate.”
Smith wasn’t done. “We can sit up there and play around all we want to,” he added.
“In 2020, Trump didn’t win the popular vote, he didn’t win the Electoral College vote. As a matter of fact, the Republicans haven’t won the popular vote if I remember correctly since 2004. But they did this year.” The numbers, he argued, don’t lie—Trump flipped the script in a way that demands attention.
Digging deeper, Smith framed the victory as a loud rejection of the Democrats’ playbook, urging the party to rethink its approach if it hopes to take on Trump’s momentum.
Polls underscored this, showing Trump trouncing both Biden and Harris on the economy and immigration—the twin engines that powered voters to the polls.
The Democrats’ rocky road didn’t help their case. Biden bowed out on July 21 after party insiders orchestrated a quiet uprising, rattled by his shaky debate against Trump on June 27 and lingering doubts about his mental sharpness.
Harris stepped up with Biden’s blessing, only to stumble—losing the popular vote, all seven swing states, and key ground with black, Latino, and blue-collar voters, who rallied behind Trump’s economic and border promises.
Trump’s wins weren’t just numbers—they were historic. He became the first Republican to claim Hispanic men in a presidential race, pulling 55% of their support per NBC’s exit polls. Harris, meanwhile, faltered with Hispanics overall, netting just 52% compared to Biden’s 61% in 2020, Politico noted.
And in a jaw-dropping shift, Trump flipped Starr County, Texas—a 97% Hispanic, long-time Democratic stronghold—winning over 57% of the vote, the first GOP victory there since 1892.
Smith’s point? Call it what you want, but Trump’s 2024 haul—swing states, diverse voter blocs, and a popular vote breakthrough—carries the unmistakable stamp of a mandate. The facts, as he sees them, speak louder than the doubts.
