Briefly describe what happened in the presidential election of 2000, including who the candidates were, who won, and how the win was accomplished.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000
The presidential election of 2000 was a closely contested and highly controversial election between George W. Bush, the Republican candidate, and Al Gore, the Democratic candidate. Let's break down what happened:
1. Candidates:
- George W. Bush: He was the governor of Texas and the son of former President George H. W. Bush. He ran as the Republican nominee.
- Al Gore: He was the vice president serving under President Bill Clinton. He ran as the Democratic nominee.
2. Election Process:
- On November 7, 2000, the general election was held. The outcome of the election hinged on the electoral votes earned by each candidate, rather than the nationwide popular vote.
- To win the presidency, a candidate needed to secure at least 270 out of the 538 electoral votes.
3. Election Results:
- The election night results were initially too close to call because of the critical battleground state of Florida, which would determine the outcome.
- The networks initially projected Al Gore as the winner in Florida. However, the margin of victory was very slim.
- As the election night progressed, Bush's lead in Florida dwindled and uncertainty arose regarding the validity of some votes.
4. Legal Challenges:
- Due to the closeness of the election in Florida, legal battles ensued. Various disputes surrounded issues like voting machine malfunctions, recount procedures, and irregularities in certain counties.
- The case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
5. Supreme Court Decision:
- On December 12, 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Bush v. Gore, effectively ending the manual recount process in Florida.
- The court's decision was that the recount violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. This effectively handed victory to Bush, as his lead in Florida stood.
6. Final Result:
- With Florida's electoral votes secured, George W. Bush won the presidency with 271 electoral votes, while Al Gore received 266 electoral votes.
In essence, the outcome of the presidential election of 2000 came down to the state of Florida and a series of lawsuits and legal battles that ultimately led to the Supreme Court's decision favoring George W. Bush, making him the winner of the election.