“The math doesn’t work. The Democrats are down 1.7 million early votes in the battleground states in urban areas,” said Lotter. “They are down 1.4 million votes in the battleground states among women voters.”

“Rural voters have overperformed early by 300,000,” he continued, noting that “Democrats have to win their races early. Republicans generally win them on election day.”

“The margins don’t add up right now for the Democrats in any of these battleground states.”

"The math doesn't work. The Democrats are down 1.7 million early votes in the battleground states in urban areas."

"They are down 1.4 million votes in the battleground states among women voters."

"Rural voters have overperformed early by 300,000."

"Democrats have to win their… pic.twitter.com/zarBQ7RY7o

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 5, 2024

Lotter’s comments come after the Trump campaign touted bullish data showing Republicans gaining ground with the early vote in battleground states vs. the 2020 election cycle.

According to the campaign, new and infrequent voters are leaning more Republican than Democrat based on the latest indications from Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada and Pennsylvania, the NY Post reports, citing a source in the camp.

“In those states, Democrats have more than 1.4 million voters who voted before Election Day in 2020 or 2022 but have not voted yet” — despite early voting being closed in nearly every state — “and many not having even requested a mail ballot,” the source said, suggesting that Democrat turnout might not be as strong this time around.

According to the Post, here’s some of the data that allies of the campaign have been privately touting – mixed with early-voter information:

Arizona

Returned mail and early-vote party registration: Republicans up 8 points.

Relative to 2020: Republicans are up 9 points.

Early voting in the Grand Canyon State closed Nov. 1. Men comprised about 50% of the votes for Republicans and 40% for Democrats, according to the data shared with The Post.

Other groups have reported apparent advantages for Republicans here, too. For instance, there have been 924,524 GOP ballot returns, relative to 736,569 for Democrats, according to early-vote data compiled by UpLift Campaigns.

Georgia

The Peach State doesn’t have voter registration information for its early votes.

Looking at data from Democratic analyst Tom Bonier, the African American early vote and mail turnout dipped 7% relative to 2020.

Early voting in Georgia stopped Nov. 1. Its turnout soared to 4,004,588 both through early voting and absentee voting by mail this year, compared to the 2,697,822 early voters four years ago, according to data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

Michigan

The Wolverine State similarly lacks voter registration information for its early votes.

But the Trump campaign is touting data suggesting that in-person early voters represent about 32% of the pre-Election Day votes cast and that its supporters typically favor in-person voting. In-person early voting is new in Michigan.

More than 2.58 million of the over 7 million people registered to vote in Michigan have cast early votes, according to data from the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office.

North Carolina

Returned mail and early-vote party registration: Republicans up 1 point.

Relative to 2020: Republicans are up 9 points.

This appears to be the first time Republicans have ever clinched the early vote in North Carolina.

Data from Bonier suggests that African American mail and early-vote returns have sunk 22% relative to 2020 here. Men comprised about 37% of the Democratic support and 49% of Republican support.

In-person early voting in the Old North State stopped Nov. 2.

There have been about 4.4 million early votes cast out of the roughly 7.8 million registered voters in North Carolina, including 1,478,496 for Republicans, 1,436,861 for Democrats and 1,524,094 without a party registration, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

Nevada

Returned mail and early-vote party registration: Republicans up 4 points.

Relative to 2020: Republicans are up 8 points.

Early in-person voting was closed off Nov. 1. Roughly 42% of Democratic votes came from men and 52% from Republicans.

Across the board, Nevada saw about 1,077,441 voters turn out early, including 406,705 from Republicans and 363,595 from Democrats, according to data.

Pennsylvania

Returned mail and early-vote party registration: Democrats up 23 points

Relative to 2020: Republicans are faring 22 points better.

The Trump campaign believes that Democrats’ early-vote advantage in the Keystone State has slipped from past elections, with total absentee ballots plummeting about 29% relative to the 2020 cycle.

There have been at least 1,739,606 early votes cast in Pennsylvania, including 971,615 from Democrats and 571,725 from Democrats, per the University of Florida’s Election Lab data.

Wisconsin

The Badger State lacks voter registration information for its early votes.

Still, the Trump campaign believes that early votes and mail-in ballots have slipped 23% since 2020 and that mail-in ballot requests are down 52% from 2020.

There have been at least 1,338,728 early votes cast in Wisconsin, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab. There are more than 4.7 million registered voters there.

Approximately 76 million early votes have been cast across the country, per the University of Florida’s Election Lab vs. 252 million in the 2020 election, in which early voting generally favored Democrats, while in-person voting leaned Republican.

In comparison to their counterparts in other industrialized nations, American students are falling behind. The rather sobering results revealed a 13-point decline for U.S. students when compared to the 2018 exam.

In stark contrast, 28 countries and economies managed to either maintain or improve their 2018 math scores, with countries such as Switzerland and Japan leading the way—and leaving the United States in the dust. These considerably more successful nations share a number of common characteristics, including, most notably of all, shorter school closures during the pandemic, as noted in the report.

Obviously concerned by the findings, the Defense Department has called for a new initiative to provide support for education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As The Hechinger Report reported, China, the United States’ biggest rival, has eight times the number of college graduates in these disciplines compared to the United States, while Russia, another major foe, has four times the number of engineers. This alarming disparity, noted the Hechinger Report piece, has prompted concerns beyond the realm of education. The United States’ mathematical failings pose a direct threat to its technological supremacy.

Other commentators have gone a step further. Falling math scores, they suggest, should be viewed as a national security threat. They’re right.

Mathematics plays a critical role in various fields such as the physical sciences, technology, business, financial services, and infrastructure. For instance, geometry, algebra, and trigonometry are fundamental parts of architectural design. Moreover, math plays a significant role in medicine, AI, and quantum computing. Math serves as the foundation for virtually all scientific and industrial research and development. Essentially, mathematics can be seen as the underlying operating system that makes the world go round.

Which begs the trillion-dollar question: What can be done?

The math problem is an education problem. To correct the problem, the manner in which math is taught must change—radically and rapidly.

Other countries have different approaches to comprehending, appreciating, and teaching math. Take the aforementioned Russia, for example.

Chris Dooly, a youth mentor and writer, has discussed the concept of “Russian Math.” Although it lacks a concrete definition, he writes, educators and historians generally agree that it revolves around the idea of developing proficiency in mathematics through an understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. Instead of just focusing on rote learning, this type of math is more holistic in nature, factoring in the overall mental development of students. Math instruction is used to enhance children’s intellect and character.

The Russian method emphasizes not only finding the answer to a math problem, but, unlike the approach in the United States, also understanding the very essence of the problem, Mr. Dooly explains. Moreover, the Russian method de-emphasizes standardized testing and instead prioritizes the establishment of a strong mathematical foundation through class discussions and engaging conversations. Tests are important, but actually understanding why math matters and what the answers really mean is considerably more important.

The Russian approach emphasizes the need to foster a comprehensive understanding of mathematics and the process of problem-solving, rather than relying solely on rote memorization. From a young age, students are introduced to mathematics, starting with basic arithmetic and geometry. The curriculum is designed, first and foremost, to foster rigorous problem-solving abilities and cultivate critical thinking skills.

As critics of the U.S. education system have noted, the country’s obsession with standardized testing is geared more toward funding rather than the growth and progress of students. The allocation of federal funding, which is determined at the highest level of government, heavily relies on test scores and graduation rates. Consequently, schools depend on these metrics to secure equal or increased federal funding for the following year. If education, in its purest form, is supposed to enlighten students, then the United States’ approach to teaching math is doing the very opposite.

Other countries—such as the Netherlands, for example, where math scores are exceptional—offer courses that incorporate real-world math and cover topics such as financial algebra and mathematical modeling. In Ireland, where I was educated, the practical application of mathematical concepts to real-life scenarios is a common practice. In truth, across most of Europe, this approach to teaching math is prevalent. By focusing on mathematical concepts that are both relevant and relatable, students get a firmer grasp of what is being taught, simply because they can apply the lessons to their own lives.

The United States must move beyond its unhealthy obsession with rote learning, which is nothing more than a superficial understanding of a topic. It must focus on helping American children to develop an understanding, appreciation, and love for math. This move is necessary. In many ways, the country’s future depends on it.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.