Was 2016 a realigning election

[The_Doctor]

No. Realigning Presidents overturn an older established order and they do it with a large majority. They change the composition of their political coalitions drastically. And they usually have a large mandate to break through the gridlock and crisis. The realigning presidencies are usually transformative.

1800, 1860, 1932, and 1980 were all realigning elections. I let Jefferson slide on some of these criteria as it was basically the first alignment and the founding of the Republic. But the other three fulfill the criteria.

Also as far as confirming elections (elections that specifically confirm the realignment) go (1828, 1896, 1960, 2000/2004); the data is more murky. But I would say the 2% popular vote loss and the weak support Trump has from institutional Republicans suggest that he's not a confirming president either. Bush is a much stronger candidate to be the confirming President to the neoliberal Reagan realignment.