As we watch the results tonight, it’s important to keep in mind that in any other presidential democracy, this would not be a particularly close election. The only thing making this election so close is the Electoral College. Similarly, the only thing making the Senate so close is the small-state bias. If Trump ekes out an Electoral College victory, it will be the third time in six elections that a Republican has won the Electoral College and the presidency while losing the popular vote. Republicans have won the popular vote only once since 1988. And Republican senators have represented a majority of Americans only for one Congress in the past 40 years, despite having a Senate majority more than half that time.