Explain where the historic mandate is?

You have served in Congress for over five decades, witnessing numerous presidential elections and shifts in congressional control. Given this experience, I find it important to ask about your repeated claims that Donald Trump was elected in 2024 with a “mandate.” Trump did win the presidency, but his electoral map was not unprecedented. Many presidents during your tenure won more states than Trump’s 31 in 2024: Richard Nixon (1972) – 49 states Ronald Reagan (1980) – 44 states Ronald Reagan (1984) – 49 states George H. W. Bush (1988) – 40 states Bill Clinton (1996) – 31 states plus D.C. (32 jurisdictions) Claims of a “mandate” also require examining congressional control. Since 1975, several times one party held much larger majorities in both the House and Senate than the current narrow Republican margins in the 119th Congress: 95th Congress (1977–1979, Democrats): House +149 seats, Senate +23, President Carter (D) — same party controlled White House and Congress. 96th Congress (1979–1981, Democrats): House +119 seats, Senate +17, President Carter (D) 103rd Congress (1993–1995, Democrats): House +82 seats, Senate +14, President Clinton (D) 111th Congress (2009–2011, Democrats): House +79 seats, Senate +18, President Obama (D) 119th Congress (2025–2027, Republicans): House +9 seats, Senate +4, President Trump (R) — same party controls White House and Congress All of these examples are during your own time in Congress. Given this, how do you define “mandate”? By historical precedent, Trump’s 2024 win and the current congressional majorities are not unusually broad or overwhelming. Words matter—especially yours. Lowering the bar for what constitutes a mandate risks distorting public understanding and worsening division where clarity is needed. I hope you’ll explain your reasoning to me and fellow Iowans who deserve honest leadership, not talking points. There are 534 days until the 2026 midterms.