Reassessing the Biden-Trump Contest of 2020

[This article is currently being revised--please check back soon for the final!]

The U.S. presidential campaign is perhaps the most intrusive, intensive, and exhilarating job interview on earth. Particularly in its later stages, after the primaries have selected the Repuclican and Democratic nominees, the mere fact of involvement suggests those two individuals are at--or close to--the top their professional careers. Few of us will ever experience that level of success and the support of millions in our professional lives. Yet, a scant several months later, one of these two will lose the election, while the other goes to become the most powerful person on the planet. How do we parse these two outcomes astrologically?

The U.S. presidential election of 2020 was certainly the most memorable of my lifetime, and I wager one of the most memorable in our history. Now that we have a little distance from it, it seems appropriate to reflect back on what we learned as astrologers about what techniques worked best in predicting its outcome. What follows is the first of two articles I would like to use to explore which predictive techniques--Traditional and Modern--appear most promising for predicting U.S. presidential elections. This article will look at the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election through the Traditional lens of the candidates’ profections, as well as solar and monthly return charts, to see what insights this kind of analysis might lend to the prediction of political contests. I hope to post another article before too long looking at several U.S. presidential elections through the Modern lens of solar arc directions.

While the Biden victory in 2020--and indeed the Trump loss--are clear from the combination of profections and return charts, the astrology is nuanced, as is usually the case with U.S. presidential elections. This is understandable. Despite losing the election, President Trump still received the most votes of any sitting president in U.S. history, an accomplishment that should be reflected in the charts alongside the loss. So what we see here is not a rout, but a simple defeat. Moreover, what we see in Biden's astrology is not an unvarnished victory, but one that includes allusions to the confusion and chaos of the January 6th events on Capitol Hill, and the uncertainty that surrounded the peaceful transfer of power.

The predictive techniques that follow come largely from the writings of the 9th century Arabic astrologer Abu Mashar. They include interpretive nuances from Dr. Benjamin Dykes, as presented in his Traditional Natal Astrology Course (TNAC). I have also taken the liberty here to apply a "profected lunations" technique I have developed myself that uses the two lunations each year which include the profected sign of the year to identify especially pivotal moments. The technique holds up very well indeed with both of the two candidates in the 2020 election. Let’s have a look.

The Quixotic Allure of U.S. Presidential Elections

Presidential elections in the United States likely command more predictive astrological firepower than any other single event in modern life. Every four years, astrologers lay their reputational bets at the celestial roulette table and wait for the ball to settle into a color--red or blue. It is curious that we continue to welcome this level of public scrutiny in the absence of a reliable methodology for predicting the outcome of democratic elections.

Evidence of this absence is anecdotal, but convincing, and we see it repeated regularly every four years in outcomes that rarely best the even odds of predicting the outcome of what is nearly always a two-person race. In one especially memorable example, all twelve members of two 2016 ISAR Conference panels convened to discuss that year’s presidential election incorrectly predicted the victory of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Two astrologers offered assessments of the upcoming election in the September 2016 OPA journal Career Astrologer, one of whom ventured a clear prediction--also for Clinton. While Clinton won the popular vote in 2016, it is the Electoral College that determines the outcome of U.S. presidential elections, and so Republican candidate, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States.

In the runup to the 2020 elections, the OPA journal again offered several predictions using a variety of astrological approaches, both Traditional and Modern. Of five approaches used, two predicted for Trump, two failed to make a clear call, and one made a hesitant prediction for Biden:

2020 OPA Journal Predictions

Oner Doser--Firdaria--Trump

Oner Doser--Composite Chart--Probably Biden, but might not be enough to beat Trump

Maurice Fernandez--Transits and Solar Arcs and Composite--No clear call--alludes to Biden

Zeynep Ozlem Yalcin--Annual Profections, Transits, Solar Returns--No clear call

Nathan Theo Naicker--Vedic Dasas, Transits--Trump

Clearly there are special challenges facing astrologers in the prediction of a U.S. presidential election victory if a cross section of experienced astrologers in the past two election cycles have either failed entirely or did no better than a coin toss. Certainly bias is one possible reason. As political polarization has increased world-wide, few of us are indifferent to something as high-profile as a U.S. presidential election. This reality challenges objectivity in ways that ordinary client predictions usually do not. We are challenged to stick closely to the astrology, seeking multiple reinforcing statements that take into account the fact that even the loser of this contest is likely at the top of his or her professional game.

Joe Biden Profections and Solar Return

We will start with the chart of Joe Biden, born 20 November 1942 at 8:30 am in Scranton, PA. We'll start with a look at his profections and at timing them with the profected lunations technique. Then we'll consider his 2019 solar return, which was still in play on election day. We will look at monthly returns for both Biden and Trump in a separate section below.

Here is Biden's nativity on the left and solar return on the right:

Let me offer a few words of explanation on how the charts are laid out. Both are whole sign house charts consistent with the approach to Medieval Arabic astrology that I studied with Dr. Benjamin Dykes. Normally, I would use a combination of Alcabitius quadrant houses with clear whole-sign indications around the outside of the chart. This is a flexible arrangement that allows us easily to reference the whole sign houses for topics and rulership, while using the Alcabitius quadrant angles to determine planetary strength for a variety of techniques. In this case, however, planetary strength is less significant, so I am simply using the whole sign houses for clarity.

I have used colors to help clarify my approach in delineating the solar return chart, as this involves a back-and-forth comparison of the natal and solar return placements. The mainstay of our solar return delineation is always to note where the three Ascendents--natal, profected, and solar return--fall in the annual solar return chart. So I have color-coded each of these signs in both charts so they are easily found. I've also colored the sign of the profected Lot of Fortune in the natal chart, as this is a key consideration in our delineation of the topics involved in the annual profection. The respective colors are:

• Blue--natal Ascendent sign

• Yellow-- profected Ascendent

• Green--solar return Ascendent

• Pink--profected Lot of Fortune (natal chart only)

In addition to color-coding these signs for ease of reference, I have also used lines and ovals to indicate some of the key aspects in each chart. Most often, these are the closest aspects to the planetary lords of the three Ascendents, or of planets located in these three signs. Limiting our consideration of aspects to those closest in orb affords a clear, crisp analysis without sacrificing much in terms of comprehensiveness. It is rare that the most essential elements of any planetary delineation are not captured in its location, rulership, condition, and closest aspect.

Biden's Profection

Biden was 77 years old on Election Day, November 3, 2020, and in a 6th place Taurus profection with Venus as Lord of the Year (LOY). Venus is the fortune contrary to sect in this day chart and is comparatively weak. It is in detriment in Scorpio and under the rays of the Sun. With Venus in detriment, accomplishments this year could tend to fall apart. Biden could find himself either physically debilitated, politically weak, or otherwise compromised. Indeed, the Sun eclipsing Venus rules the 9th of legal affairs, alluding to his situation on election day, with questions raised about his age, his health, and the efforts of his political opponents to deny him victory in the election through numerous law suits and other legal feints. Despite all of this, Venus also rules the 11th place of Good Spirit, and conjoins the natal ASC, so there is a promise here of comparatively good fortune, albeit with the challenges just enumerated.

Alongside the LOY, the technique of profections pays particular attention to planets in the place of the profection, and to the place and lord of the profected Lot of Fortune. In Biden's nativity the Moon is in the profected place, exalted in Taurus, ruling the 8th place. The combination of the 6th and 8th places suggest themes of illness and mortality/fear during the 2019-2020 year. However, the Moon exalted in Taurus is an indication of eminence this year, and it conjoins the natal Lot of Fortune as well. The two make a trine to Biden’s MC, a suggestion of professional eminence, possibly through the actions of “the people,” as the Moon rules the general public.

The Lot of Fortune profects from the natal 6th to the 11th of Good Spirit, providing another indication of good fortune coming to Biden with Venus, also the lord of Fortune, conjoining the ASC. Once again, though, the debilitation facing Venus in the chart suggests this good fortune will be compromised in the ways noted above. This will very likely be a victory, but one marked by considerable challenges and potential setbacks.

Biden's Profected Lunation

Now that we have identified some of the key themes of Biden's 2019-2020 profection year, let's use the lunations occurring in the sign of the profection to identify meaningful inflection points during the year when these themes might manifest with particular clarity. My research and practice suggests that these two-week lunation periods, spaced six months apart, often involve events or developments that will define that year in our memory for the rest of our lives. In other instances, the events of those weeks will precede the year’s defining developments–but will in retrospect have made them possible through key initiatives or similar occurrences.

Specifically, we want to look at the two periods–that is the periods between New and Full Moons or vice versa–that occur when one of the two luminaries is located in the sign of the annual profection. Ideally, the two lunations that mark this 14 day period will both involve the sign of the year. In Biden's profection for 2019-2020 we are looking at the lunations involving Taurus-Scorpio. Note that one of these two periods is the two-week period between the October 31 Taurus Full Moon and the November 15 Scorpio New Moon. Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2020, within the anticipated two-week lunation period predicted by the technique. This does not come as a surprise in retrospect; but it does bring into focus the likelihood that the nuanced victory suggested in Biden's profection will likely correspond with something transpiring during the two week period that included the election, and not to some other accomplishment of that year.

Biden's Solar Return

Turning to Biden's solar return, we see that Virgo is rising–the sign of Biden’s natal MC, a suggestion that professional and reputational issues will be central this year. The Moon, lord of the 11th of Good Spirit, conjoins the SR ASC, a good indication of personal projection and popular support from the general public this year. Note that this echoes the profections emphasis of Venus as the lord of Biden's natal 11th on his natal ASC, which we noted above was a suggestion of possible victory.

Mercury is in the SR 3rd in Scorpio, perhaps a suggestion of the importance of effective communication this year. Scorpio is the natal 12th, which could suggest a loss, hidden enemies, or other professional suffering this year. It rules the SR MC, emphasizing the professional theme here. Its closest aspect is the sextile to Saturn in Capricorn in the 5th, the place that rules elections and other matters of chance. This is a hopeful sign for Biden of a professional (10th) opportunity (sextile) that comes through an election (5th).

Even more promising is the conjunction of the LOY, Venus, with the lord of the natal ASC, Jupiter, in the sign of the natal ASC, Sagittarius. Jupiter is also the lord of Fortune in the SR chart, and the SR Lot of Fortune is co-present with Jupiter and Venus in Sagittarius, once again, a good indicator of a successful outcome in areas over which Biden does not have full control. In Biden’s SR chart this is in the 4th place, which in this instance could be his homeland and country. The Venus-Jupiter conjunction is the closest aspect for both planets in this chart, and in bringing the two benefits together in Jupiter’s own sign, this is a very strong suggestion of a good outcome for the year. Jupiter rules the SR 7th, which could be Biden’s opponent, but may also have been his running mate, Kamala Harris, who considerably boosted his electoral fortunes.

Donald Trump

Ok, let’s turn now to see how Donald Trump’s profection and solar return for 2020 reinforce the prospect of his loss in the 2020 Presidential elections. Donald Trump was born on 14 June 1946 at 10:54 am in Queens, NY. Here are his natal chart on the left and solar return on the right, once again color-coded and annotated with aspects in the same way as Biden's:

Trump was 74 years old on November 3, 2020, and so was in a 3rd place Libra profection, The focus would seem to be on communication and travel here–an excellent description of the campaign trail in 2020. Venus was the Lord of the Year for Trump at the time of the election, just as it was for Biden. Both have Venus in the 12th place of loss and hidden enemies, with Trump's Venus also ruling the 3rd and 11th, bringing in issues of friends and associations. While both men have Venus in the 12th place, Biden's conjoins his natal Ascendent, which is a much stronger position that mitigates considerably the presence of Venus in the 12th. The suggestion is that though both candidates would likely experience the challenges of hidden enemies and the anxieties that accompany the threat of loss, the prospect of decisive loss for Trump is far more likely this year. The closest aspect to Venus is the conjunction with Saturn in the 12th, lord of the 6th of illness and injury, and the 7th of partners and open opponents. The suggestion here is of obstacles, limitations, frustrations, and possible loss or suffering associated with partners, and opponents. This is an interesting nuance considering the role that his running mate, Mike Pence, would have on January 6 in frustrating Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Congress.

Turning now to planets in the place of Trump's profection, we find Jupiter Rx in the 3rd. Jupiter in a day chart is the fortune of the sect–a strong suggestion of optimism and empowerment–and it rules the 5th place of elections and contests. It is Rx, however, undermining its benefic strength, and suggesting the possibility of a hidden agenda. It also rules the 8th place of fear, misfortune, and death. The closest aspect to Jupiter is the square from Saturn in detriment in the 12th place–further compromising the prospect of growth here. Saturn is in the superior position in this square, and once again rules the 7th place–his opponent AND his running mate, Mike Pence. This combination of the lord of the 8th place of death overcome by Saturn from the 12th of loss, and located in the 3rd of siblings seems as well to prefigure the death this year of Trump's brother Robert on 15 August 2020, less than 3 months before the presidential election.

If we profect Trump's Lot of Fortune, it comes this year to the 9th place in Aries, making Mars in a day chart–the infortune contrary to sect–the Lord of Fortune. Mars also rules his 4th place of family, perhaps homeland, and endings, and is conjunct his natal ASC, tying his personal presentation, happiness, and possibly his health into the equation of the year. As the infortune contrary to sect, this would suggest that in issues outside of his control (Lot of Fortune), Trump could find himself experiencing real difficulties with hostility, opposition, confrontation, and possible illness. (He was hospitalized with COVID during this profection year, recall.) The closest planetary aspect to Mars in the nativity is the sextile from the Sun in the 11th, lord of his ASC, a very nice sign of support and opportunity, not to mention powerful self-assertiveness. This may suggest his comparatively swift recovery from COVID as well. It is worth noting, however, that this Mars in his ASC makes an even closer square to his MC, suggesting his bellicose behavior could complicate his professional fortunes this year. Both, of course, were true this year.

Trump's Profected Lunation

Trump’s two periods of note for the profections lunation technique this year were those that involved the Libra-Aries lunations. The first was the two-week period between the October 1 Aries Full Moon and the October 16 Libra New Moon, which occurred roughly two weeks before the November 3 election. Trump announced at the start of this period, on October 2, that he and the First Lady had contracted COVID. He left the campaign trail just a month before the election, and spent more than a week in the hospital recovering. It was at the end of this period, on October 16, that Forbes published the details of Trump’s $1 billion debt and removed him from the list of the world's wealthiest people.

It is worth noting as well that the first of two presidential debates occurred immediately before the start of the two-week lunation period, on September 29, and Trump had reportedly refused to prepare for it as he had for earlier debates. His performance left even supporters and allies nervous about the likely outcome, and polls suggested most saw it as a Biden victory. By mid-October, at the end of the two-week lunation period, Trump was behind in national election polls, and reportedly furious with close allies, particularly Attorney General William Barr, at their failure to provide an “October surprise” that could turn the tide of the election in its final weeks. In short, it is not difficult to see this two-week period as central to the challenges prefigured in Trump’s profections and solar return for 2020.

Trump's Solar Return

Turning to Trump’s solar return, we immediately see another suggestion of problems–the sign on the SR ASC is Cancer, corresponding with his natal 12th place of loss, suffering, and hospitalization. The Moon is located in the SR 9th, suggesting legal issues may be a central focus of Trump’s year. Its closest aspect is the square to the Sun in his SR 12th of loss and suffering. The Sun is the lord of Trump’s natal ASC, and rules his SR 2nd place of finances, suggesting this could be a difficult year for his brand and his companies. In fact, on the eve of the election, Forbes Magazine published an article that suggested Trump was twice as deeply in debt–to the tune of a billion dollars–as had been thought. It subsequently removed Trump from its list of the world’s richest people. Moreover, immediately following the January 6 events in Washington, DC, Deutsche Bank, to which Trump owed more than $300 million, announced it would no longer make loans to the Trump organization. Still, Trump remained very rich, and indeed, the closest aspect to the Sun is the trine from Saturn, lord of the SR 7th and 8th. This could suggest a positive sign of some support for his finances from financing of some kind, partners, and the like.

Looking for the sign of the profection–Libra–we find it in the SR 4th–family, endings, homeland–and its lord, the LOY, Venus–located again in the 12th of loss and suffering. So the lord of his natal ASC AND the LOY are both located in the SR 12th of loss, and the former of the two squares the Moon, the lord of the SR ASC. This. Is. Not. Good. The closest aspect to Venus in the SR chart is the trine from Saturn; but this does not carry the same promise of Saturn’s trine to the SR Sun. Instead, it is an echo of the Venus-Saturn conjunction in his natal 12th place, and so reinforces its natal suggestion of setbacks, obstructions, and other frustrations associated with the planet that is now the LOY, Venus.

So while there are clearly suggestions of support in this combination of profections and solar return–Trump did receive more votes in the 2020 election than any other sitting president in U.S. history–the overall suggestion of loss associated with one 12th place connection after another in the chart is inescapable here. All roads appear to lead to loss and suffering as the overall theme of this year for him, along with possible isolation and hospitalization. Assessed alongside Biden’s comparatively weak, but more promising charts, Trump’s loss in the election seems to be clear here.

The Monthly Returns for Election Day

Turning to the monthly revolutions, both charts, Biden’s and Trump’s, include planets that are angular and advancing, suggesting that this month should be noteworthy for them both.

Biden’s monthly return began on October 20, 2020. Mercury Rx conjoins his MR ASC, ruling his MR 11th place of good fortune and associations, as well as the MR 8th place of mortality, fear, and finance. Mercury also rules his natal MC AND his SR MC, so this month will include a focus on his career and reputation. Mercury is Rx, suggesting difficulties or setbacks in these areas, along with fears (8th place) of reversals or limits on his good fortune (11th place). Mercury makes no close degree-based aspects in the MR chart.

The MR ASC is Scorpio, the sign of his natal 12th place of loss and suffering, which could raise questions about whether he would win the election if we didn’t already know the outcome. Mars is the lord of the MR ASC, and is located in its own domicile, but is Rx in the 6th place of illness. It is bonified to some extent through its closest aspect–the superior square from Jupiter in fall in the MR 3rd, ruling among other things, the MR 5th–the election. Win or not, this would be a difficult month for Biden professionally, involving a lot of fear, and perhaps some good luck.

Taurus is the sign of Biden’s annual profection, and it is in the MR 7th place of partners and open opponents. Its lord, Venus, is in the MR 11th of good fortune, but is in its fall in Virgo, reiterating the notion of a limit on that good fortune. VirVenus also rules the MR 12th place, suggesting loss or hidden enemies, reiterating the difficult combination of promise and challenge this month. Still, Virgo is More promising is that its closest aspect is the trine with Jupiter, the lord of the 5th of elections. Jupiter is the lord of the MR Lot of Fortune–that is the events in life over which Biden has no control, so this is a very promising sign of a good outcome in the election. Jupiter in its fall and conjoined with Saturn would seem to suggest that Fortune will have little benefit to offer this month–but this is still the two fortunes in trine, one the LOY and the other the Lord of Fortune. So while this could be an overshadowed or reduced victory, it does seem like a good outcome is promised here.

This promise is reiterated by the timing of the election on November 3. If we distribute the MR ASC around the chart at a rate of 59’ 08” per two-hour increment, on November 3, we arrive at the exact trine with both Venus and Jupiter. This creates a Grand Trine in the chart with the two fortunes that are also the LOY and the Lord of the MR Lot of Fortune. This is an excellent indication of a good outcome in the election, notwithstanding the many indications of difficulty, loss, and setback enumerated above.

Turning to Trump, his monthly return begins on October 15, 2020, and includes Venus angular and advancing in the 7th of partners and open opponents. This is the Lord of the Year, so we could say this would jump out at us if we were looking at a collection of 12 monthly charts wondering which ones were important. Angular, advancing Lord of the Year is right there at the top of the list! In this case, though, the Lord of the Year, Venus, is in its fall in Virgo. Its closest aspect is the sextile to Mercury, lord of the 7th, so Venus is received, possibly tempering its poor dignity. There is at least some opportunity here. The sign of the year, Libra, correlates with the

MR 8th–the “idle place” and the place of death. Turning to the MR ASC, we see that it is Pisces, the same sign as Trump’s natal 8th place–so we have an echo effect here of the “idle place” and the place of death. The lord of the MR ASC, Jupiter, is in its fall in Capricorn, and conjoining Saturn, the lord of the MR 12th of loss. Jupiter’s closest aspect is not the conjunction with Saturn, but the square to Mars Rx, the infortune contrary to sect in this day chart. It rules the 9th place of legal matters–and indeed, before this month was over Trump would suffer numerous legal setbacks in his bid to have the results of the election annulled. This is a rough situation for the lord of the MR ASC, and is not what we might expect to see in the chart of someone about to win the U.S. Presidential Election.

Two more considerations here are the Lot of Fortune and the location of the SR ASC in the MR chart. In the case of the latter, the SR ASC, Cancer, is in the MR 5th, which rules the election. Recall that Cancer is the sign of Trump’s natal 12th of loss, so this is not a strong suggestion of a win. The Lot of Fortune in the MR chart is located in the 12th of loss, not a great indication. Now its lord is Saturn, and it is in its own sign, conjoined with Jupiter in a day chart. However, this Jupiter is weak, in its fall. Moreover, Jupiter is not Saturn’s closest aspect–that comes from Mars Rx, once again, the lord of the MR 9th of legal matters. The overall picture would seem to reiterate the loss of the election, and extensive legal efforts behind the scenes (Mars Rx), that would ultimately come to naught.