As votes continue to be tabulated across the country Wednesday, the historic nature of the 2024 election has already become clear: a resurgent conservative movement has swept across the country, with one prominent liberal commentator calling it the “biggest red wave” since Ronald Reagan’s victory in 1984.

“This is the biggest red wave I’ve seen since Ronald Reagan’s 49-state victory in 1984,” remarked MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Wednesday morning. “It seems every Republican across the country improved,” he added, referring to how the GOP secured control of the Senate and will likely retain control of the House.

Scarborough went on to note that Trump became only the second Republican to win the popular vote since 1988, collecting roughly five million more votes than Vice President Kamala Harris as of Wednesday afternoon. “With expectations rising in the Harris camp in the final days of the campaign and a historic ground game when you look at the depth [and] the reach of it — this race still ended up being over before it began,” Scarborough observed. “… The scope and scale of this victory is sweeping.”

Across the board, former President Donald Trump’s victory significantly exceeded what most polls predicted. As of Wednesday afternoon, the 45th president has won or is leading in every battleground state, completely flipping the script from the 2020 election.

In Pennsylvania, Trump flipped the state and won by two points, securing 82,000 more votes than he earned in 2020.

In Michigan, he flipped the state and won by 1.5 points, securing 145,000 more votes than he earned in 2020.

In Wisconsin, he flipped the state and won by just under a point, securing 87,000 more votes than he earned in 2020.

In Georgia, he flipped the state and won by over two points, securing 190,000 more votes than he earned in 2020.

In North Carolina, he improved upon his win in 2020 by almost three points and 118,000 votes.

In Arizona, a state he barely lost in 2020 by half a point, he is currently leading by five points with 61% of the votes tabulated.

In Nevada, a state he lost by over two points in 2020, he is currently leading by five points with 85% of the votes tabulated.

But it wasn’t just in battlegrounds states where the 45th president shined — he even showed surprising strength in traditional Democratic strongholds.

In New Jersey, a state that Trump lost by 16 points four years ago, he picked up 31,000 more votes and only lost by four points in 2024.

In Illinois, a state that he lost by 17 points four years ago, Trump only lost by eight points in 2024.

In New York, a state that he lost by 23 points four years ago, Trump picked up 181,000 more votes and only lost by 11.5 points in 2024.

“Last night was a statement,” FRC Action Director Matt Carpenter told The Washington Stand. “While votes are still being counted, and some races have yet to be called, Trump has secured another term as president, the GOP flipped the Senate, and there’s still the possibility the GOP keeps their majority in the House. Trump performed better in deep blue states that he either had a very light presence in or no presence in at all, states like Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island than Harris did in Florida and Texas, two states that her campaign had a presence in. This translates to a decisive win in not just the electoral college, but also in the popular vote, something a GOP nominee has not done in two decades.”

Carpenter further noted that a handful factors likely led to the conservative show of force at the ballot box.

“It’s tough to pin down which one was determinative,” he acknowledged. “But, it looks like from the exit polling Trump won the Catholic vote (this is huge for the Rust Belt), and Harris’s support among women was overstated (particularly with white women). NBC exit polling also showed 72% of the electorate was either dissatisfied or angry about the direction of the nation — Trump won these voters decisively.”

During Trump’s election night victory rally, Republican Vice President-elect J.D. Vance summed up the historic moment. “I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America,” he declared to thunderous applause. “And under President Trump’s leadership, we’re never going to stop fighting for you.”