A landslide victory is an election result in which the winning candidate or party achieves a decisive victory by an overwhelming margin, securing a very large majority of votes or seats far beyond the typical competitive outcome.[1][2] The term became popular in the 19th century to describe a victory in which the opposition is "buried",[1] similar to the way in which a geological landslide buries whatever is in its path. A landslide victory for one party is often accompanied by an electoral wipeout for the opposition, as the overwhelming support for the winning side inflicts a decisive loss on its rivals. What qualifies as a landslide victory can vary depending on the type of electoral system, as the term does not entail a precise, technical, or universally agreed-upon measurement. Instead, it is used informally in everyday language, making it subject to interpretation. Even within a single electoral system, there is no consensus on the exact margin that constitutes a landslide victory.[1]

A landslide victory implies a powerful expression of popular will and a ringing endorsement by the electorate for the winner's political platform. A landslide can be viewed by a winning candidate or party as a mandate or a tacit authorization from the public to implement their proposed policies and pursue their agenda with confidence. Emboldened by the result, the winner may undertake ambitious reforms or significant policy shifts to reflect the electorate's desire for meaningful change.[3] However, it can also indicate deep political polarization in an electorate[4] or an unfair election.[5]

A combination of factors, including charismatic leadership, a favorable shift in public sentiment driven by dissatisfaction with or support for the status quo, strategic electoral campaigning and a positive media portrayal, can create the conditions necessary for a landslide victory. A landslide may fundamentally reshape the political landscape of a country; one example of this phenomenon is Franklin D. Roosevelt's election as US president in 1932.[6] In a post-landslide scenario, a winning party can sometimes implement its policies with little resistance, while its severely weakened opposition may struggle to perform essential checks and balances.

Notable examples

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Argentina

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Australia

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Local and mayoral elections:

 
Labor's landslide victory at the 2021 Western Australian state election. Seats won by Labor are in red, seats won by the Liberals are in blue and seats won by the Nationals are in green.

State and territory elections:

  • 2021 Western Australian state electionMark McGowan led the Labor Party to win 53 out of the 59 seats in the lower house. The Labor Party had a primary vote of 59.92% and a two-party-preferred vote of 69.68%. The National Party won 4 seats and the Liberal Party won 2 seats, making the National Party the official opposition, the first time they had held this status since the 1940s. To date, the election is the most decisive result at any Australian state or federal election since Federation, in terms of both percentage of lower house seats controlled by the governing party (89.8%) and two-party preferred margin.[10][11]

Federal:

Bangladesh

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Brazil

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Canada

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In a Canadian federal election, a landslide victory occurs when a political party gains a significant majority of the House of Commons of Canada.[13]

Landslide victories may also occur during provincial elections, and territorial elections in Yukon. Landslide victories are not possible for territorial elections in the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as its members are elected without reference to political parties, operating as a consensus government.

National landslide victories

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The following Canadian federal elections resulted in landslide victories:[14]

 
The vote by province in 1958 shows the scale of the Progressive Conservatives' landslide victory.
  • 1958 – The Progressive Conservatives, led by John Diefenbaker, won 208 seats (an increase of 96) and gained a majority of 75, while the Liberals, led by Lester B. Pearson, won just 48 (a decrease of 57).
 
The vote by province in 1984 shows the scale of the Progressive Conservatives' landslide victory.
  • 1984 – The Progressive Conservatives, led by Brian Mulroney, won 211 seats (an increase of 111) and gained a majority of 69, while the Liberals, led by John Turner, won just 40 (a decrease of 95). Mulroney is the only prime minister to have won a majority of seats in every single province.
  • 1993 – The Liberals, led by Jean Chrétien, won 177 seats (an increase of 96) and gained a majority of 29, while the Bloc Québecois, led by Lucien Bouchard, which ran only in Quebec, won 54 (an increase of 44). The ruling Progressive Conservatives, led by Kim Campbell, won just 2 (a decrease of 154).

Chile

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France

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Germany

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Hungary

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India

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National election

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State election

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Local election

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Indonesia

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Jamaica

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Japan

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Mexico

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New Zealand

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Until 1996, New Zealand used the traditional first-past-the-post system as in the U.K. to determine representation in its Parliament. Thus, landslide elections at that time were defined in an identical fashion, i.e. where one party won an overwhelming majority of the seats. Since 1996, New Zealand has used the mixed member proportional system as in Germany, making landslides much less likely.[25]

First past the post

Philippines

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Presidential elections

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Senate elections

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  • 1949 Philippine Senate election – The Liberal Party won all the 8 seats contested in the election, wiping out the Nacionalistas and pushing their total number of seats in the Senate up to 17.[28]
  • 1951 Philippine Senate election – The Nacionalista Party won all 9 contested seats, with Senate President Mariano Jesús Cuenco losing his Senate seat. While the Liberals still held a majority after this election, the Nacionalistas were able to push their total number of seats up to 11.[28]
  • 1955 Philippine Senate election – The Nacionalista Party won all 8 contested seats in the election, while the Liberal Party lost all 4 of their remaining seats in the Senate. This was the first time in the history of the Third Republic that a single party had control of all seats in the Senate.[28]
  • 1957 Philippine Senate election – The Nacionalista Party won 6 of the 8 seats contested in the election, bringing down their total number of seats to 22, the Liberal Party meanwhile only managed to win 2 seats in the Senate.[28]
  • 1967 Philippine Senate election – The Nacionalista Party won 6 of the 8 seats contested in this election, bringing their total number of seats from 11 to 15. The Liberal Party only managed to win 1 seat contested in this election.[28]
  • 1969 Philippine Senate election – The Nacionalista Party won 6 of the 8 seats contested in this election, bringing their total number of seats from 15 to 17. The Liberal Party only managed to take 2 seats.[28]

With the establishment of the Fifth Republic and the change to a multi-party system, Senate elections are now usually contested by electoral alliances consisting of multiple parties.[28]


House of Representatives elections

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Before 1972, the House of Representatives was under a two-party system dominated by either Nacionalistas or the Liberals. By the time the 1987 election took place however, new parties have garnered enough support to win multiple seats in Congress, effectively switching into a multi-party system and thus made landslides from a single party very unlikely.

Portugal

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Samoa

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Results of the 2006 Samoan general election by constituency

South Africa

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Taiwan

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Ukraine

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United Kingdom

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In UK general elections, a landslide victory involves winning a large majority in parliament and often goes with a large swing from one party to another as well. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.[45]

Large majorities, however, are not always the advantage they appear to be. Anthony Seldon gives a number of examples of the infighting that can arise from large majorities. He claims that a "sweet spot" parliamentary majority of 35–50 seats is enough to protect from by-elections and still comfortably pass legislation.[46]

Notable landslide election results

  • 1906Henry Campbell-Bannerman led his Liberal Party to victory over Arthur Balfour's Conservative Party who lost more than half their seats, including his own seat in Manchester East, as a result of the large national swing to the Liberal Party (The 5.4% swing from the Conservatives to Liberals was at the time the highest ever achieved). The Liberal Party won 397 seats (an increase of 214) and a majority of 124 seats, while the Conservative Party were left with 156 seats (a decrease of 246).[47][48]
 
The Labour Party landslide victory in 1997
  • 1945Clement Attlee led the Labour Party to victory over Winston Churchill's Conservative Party, a 12.0% swing from the Conservatives to Labour. Labour won 393 seats (an increase of 239) while the Conservative Party were left with 197 (a decrease of 190).[49]
  • 1983Margaret Thatcher led the Conservative Party to win a landslide victory (her second term in office) with 397 seats (an increase of 58, the party's highest seat count since 1931) and a majority of 144 seats, [1] while the Labour Party led by Michael Foot won 209 seats (a decrease of 60). Additionally in the popular vote the party finished just two points ahead of the SDP–Liberal Alliance. However, they receive far more seats due to the first past the post system. [2]
  • 1997Tony Blair led the Labour Party to win a first landslide victory with 418 seats (an increase of 146) and gained an overall majority of 179 while the Conservative Party led by John Major won 165 seats (a decrease of 178). The swing from the Conservatives to Labour was 10.2% and was the second biggest general election victory of the 20th Century after 1931.[50]
  • 2001 – Tony Blair led the Labour Party to win a second landslide victory with 412 seats (a decrease of 6) and retained an overall majority of 167 while the Conservative Party led by William Hague won 166 seats (an increase of 1), making Tony Blair the first Labour Prime Minister to serve two consecutive full terms in office.[51]
 
The Conservative Party landslide victory in 2019
  • 2019Boris Johnson led the Conservative Party to win a landslide victory (his second term in office) with 365 seats (an increase of 48, the party's highest seat count since 1987) and a majority of 80 seats, while the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn won 202 seats (a decrease of 60, the party's worst result since 1935). The election led to 54 Labour seats changing to Conservative predominantly in the Midlands and Northern England – some of which had been held by Labour since the first half of the 20th century.[52]
  • 2024Keir Starmer led the Labour Party to win a landslide victory with 411 seats (an increase of 211, the party's highest seat count since 2001) and a majority of 172 seats, while the Conservative Party led by Rishi Sunak won 121 seats (a decrease of 251, the party's worst ever result, exceeding the previous worst defeat of 1906.[53])

United States

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A landslide victory in presidential elections occurs when a candidate has an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College. In federal and state congressional elections, a landslide victory occurs when a party wins 60% or more of the seats in a legislative chamber.[54]

Presidential elections

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The map of the Electoral College in 1936 shows the scale of Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide victory.
  • 1936 – Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) received 523 (98.5%) of the electoral votes—the largest share since 1820 and the largest in a non-unanimous election—while Alf Landon (R) received only 8 (1.5%). Additionally, Roosevelt received 60.8% of the popular vote.
  • 1940 – Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) received 449 (84.6%) of the electoral votes while Wendell Willkie (R) received only 82 (15.4%).
  • 1944 – Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) received 432 (81.4%) of the electoral votes while Thomas E. Dewey (R) received only 99 (18.6%).
  • 1952Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) received 442 (83.2%) of the electoral votes while Adlai Stevenson II (D) received only 89 (16.8%).
  • 1956 – Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) received 457 (86.1%) of the electoral votes while Adlai Stevenson II (D) received only 73 (13.7%).
  • 1964Lyndon B. Johnson (D) received 486 (90.3%) of the electoral votes while Barry Goldwater (R) received only 52 (9.7%). Additionally, Johnson received 61.1% of the popular vote.
 
The map of the Electoral College in 1972 shows the scale of Richard Nixon's landslide victory.
 
The map of the Electoral College in 1984 shows the scale of Ronald Reagan's landslide victory.

Congressional elections

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House of Representatives
  • 1932 – Coinciding with Franklin D. Roosevelt's win in the presidential election, the Democratic Party won 313 seats with 54.5% of the popular vote, which caused the Republican Party to lose its two-seat majority. This election marked a beginning of political dominance for the Democratic Party that would last until the 1994 election.
  • 1934 – The Democratic Party gained nine seats from the previous election.
  • 1936 – Coinciding with Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to a second term as president, the Democratic Party gained an additional twelve seats from the previous election with 55.9% of the popular vote, bringing the total amount of seats held by the party to 334. This would be the most recent election where one party won more than 300 seats in the House of Representatives, and was the last of four straight elections where Republicans lost seats due to the effects of the Great Depression.[60]
Senate
  • 1920 – Coinciding with Warren G. Harding's win in the presidential election, the Republican Party gained ten seats from the Democratic Party, giving them a 59–37 majority.
  • 1932 –– Coinciding with Franklin D. Roosevelt's win in the presidential election, the Democratic Party gained twelve seats from the Republican Party, giving them a 60–36 majority.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Murse, Tom (8 October 2020). "Landslide Victory: Definition in Elections". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. ^ Multiple sources:
  3. ^ James H Fowler; Oleg Smirnov (2009), Mandates, Parties, and Voters: How Elections Shape the Future, p. 15
  4. ^ Johnston, Ron; Jones, Kelvyn; Manley, David (July 2019). "MultiLevel Modeling of Space–Time Variations: Exploring Landslide Voting Patterns at United States Presidential Elections, 1992–2016". Geographical Analysis. 51 (3): 280–313. doi:10.1111/gean.12176.
  5. ^ Newton-Farrelly, Jenni (November 2009). "FROM GERRY-BUILT TO PURPOSE-BUILT: DRAWING ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES FOR UNBIASED ELECTION OUTCOMES". Representation. 45 (4): 471–484. doi:10.1080/00344890903257565.
  6. ^ Jason D. Mycoff; Joseph August Pika (2008), Confrontation and Compromise: Presidential and Congressional Leadership, 2001–2006, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, p. 11
  7. ^ "Fernández wins Argentina primary, looks poised for re-election". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Newman wins Brisbane election landslide". ABC News. 15 March 2008. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  9. ^ "The Mayor that was re-elected in a landslide, collecting 85 per cent of the votes". 20 October 2021. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Biggest State Election Landslides". Armarium Interreta. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Mark McGowan claims WA election victory as Liberals all but wiped out". The New Daily. 14 March 2021.
  12. ^ Crowley, political reporter Tom (5 May 2025). "Most polls underestimated Labor. How did they get it wrong?". ABC News. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  13. ^ Cecco, Leyland (25 April 2025). "Canadian ex-PM seeks to help Liberals match his 1993 landslide victory". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  14. ^ "Party Standings in the House of Commons (1867-date)". PARLINFO. Library of Parliament. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  15. ^ Barnes, Samuel H.; Grace, Frank; Pollock, James K.; Sperlich, Peter W. (2013). "The German Party System and the 1961 Federal Election". American Political Science Review. 56 (4): 899–914. doi:10.2307/1952792. ISSN 1537-5943 – via University of Cambridge.
  16. ^ Kassam, Ashifa; Garamvolgyi, Flora (12 April 2026). "Magyar's parliamentary majority in Hungary increases after final count". Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  17. ^ "Political Tsunami turns Jamaica green with massive JLP victory". Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Archived copy". TheGuardian.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ^ "Early results showing Prabowo on course for landslide win in Indonesia's presidential election, securing around 60% of votes cast". CNA. 14 February 2024. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Indonesia election commission confirms Prabowo Subianto wins presidency". Al Jazeera. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Political Tsunami turns Jamaica green with massive JLP victory". Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  22. ^ "衆院党派別得票数・率(比例代表)". (in Japanese) Jiji. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014.
  23. ^ "'Major win' for Japan opposition". BBC News. 30 August 2009. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  24. ^ McCurry, Justin (8 February 2026). "Sanae Takaichi's conservatives cement power in landslide Japan election win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  25. ^ Electoral Commission (17 July 2014). Mixed Member Proportional Representation in New Zealand (Video). Wellington. Archived from the original on 19 September 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g "1890–1993 general elections". Electoral Commission New Zealand. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  27. ^ "Coalition ticket wins by landslide, September 21, 1935". The Philippines Free Press Online. 21 September 1935. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (2015). Philippine Electoral Almanac Revised And Expanded.
  29. ^ Elsbree, Willard H. (1954). "The 1953 Philippine Presidential Elections". Pacific Affairs. 27 (1): 3–15. doi:10.2307/3035268. ISSN 0030-851X.
  30. ^ Verizon, Cliff (25 May 2022). "Marcos officially declared Philippines' next president". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Local News". Sun.Star. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  32. ^ Chiu, Jeannette Andrade, Patricia Denise (15 May 2019). "What went wrong with Otso Diretso?". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 18 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (2015). Philippine Electoral Almanac Revised And Expanded.
  34. ^ "Quanto recordes bateu Seguro e quantos ficaram por bater?". Renascença. 8 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  35. ^ "Elections in 2006". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  36. ^ "Legislative Assembly (Fono)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  37. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  38. ^ "Tsai Ing-wen wins landslide in Taiwan presidential election". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  39. ^ "Tsai Ing-wen wins landslide in Taiwan presidential election". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  40. ^ Higgins, Andrew; Mendel, Iuliia (21 April 2019). "Ukraine Election: Volodymyr Zelensky, TV Comedian, Trounces President". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  41. ^ Ellyatt, Holly (23 April 2019). "Ukraine faces up to reality after political novice wins landslide". CNBC. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  42. ^ Walker, Shaun (22 April 2019). "Comedian wins landslide victory in Ukrainian presidential election". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  43. ^ "Ukraine election: Comedian Zelensky wins presidency by landslide". www.bbc.com. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  44. ^ "Як змінювався рівень довіри та підтримки Зеленського та його попередників (оновлено)" [How the level of trust and support for Zelensky and his predecessors has changed (updated)]. Слово і Діло (in Ukrainian). 21 February 2026.
  45. ^ Multiple sources:
  46. ^ Seldon, Anthony (8 June 2017). "Politicians dream of landslide victories – but they are a curse, not a blessing". The Guardian.
  47. ^ "1906: The Liberal landslide". bbc.co.uk. 9 February 2006. Archived from the original on 10 April 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  48. ^ Liberal Landslide: The General Election of 1906.
  49. ^ Labour Landslide, July 5–19, 1945.
  50. ^ Labour's Landslide: The British General Election 1997.
  51. ^ "The rise and fall of New Labour". BBC News. 3 August 2010. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  52. ^ "Boris Johnson must fulfil his One Nation pledge". Financial Times. 13 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  53. ^ "UK election results 2024". BBC. 6 July 2024. Archived from the original on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  54. ^ "Presidential Election Margin of Victory | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  55. ^ Friel, Brian (7 November 1996). "Divided Government". Government Executive. Retrieved 11 December 2025. President Clinton was re-elected Tuesday by amassing a landslide victory in the Electoral College
  56. ^ Hanlon, Seth D. (4 December 1996). "Democrat Roll". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on 18 December 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025. On November 5, 1996, the American people, in a coast-to-coast electoral landslide, re-elected a Democratic president… Voters re-elected him in a tremendous electoral landslide
  57. ^ "Clinton Rides Landslide: First Democrat To Be Re-Elected Since Roosevelt". The Spokesman-Review. Knight-Ridder. 6 November 1996. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  58. ^ King, John (6 November 1996). "Clinton easily keeps White House" (PDF). The Observer. Notre Dame, Indiana. Associated Press. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 March 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025. President Clinton won a land-slide re-election and political redemption Tuesday night
  59. ^ Smith, Craig Allen (August 1997). "Bill Clinton and the 1996 presidential campaign". American Behavioral Scientist. 40 (8): 1250–1264. doi:10.1177/0002764297040008021. …the apparent contradiction between Clinton's modest aggregate public approval ratings and his landslide re-election
  60. ^ "CNN Explains: How today's GOP has its roots in anti-slavery crusade – CNN.com". cnn.com. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2014.

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