Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the race for president early Wednesday following a string of stunning victories in battleground states that sent shockwaves through the political establishment.
The Republican emerged the victor in the most painful and bruising political campaign in recent memory, transforming a wave of populist anger into a solid electoral win. Flanked by his family, the newly-minted president elect took to the stage at his campaign headquarters soon after Clinton called to concede the race.
Trump thanked “the movement” that lifted him to the White House and offered a conciliatory message in the wake of a divisive race.
“It is time for us to come together as one united people,” Trump said. “I pledge to every citizen in our land that I will be president for all Americans and this is so important to me.”
A New York real estate developer and reality TV star turned politician, Trump is set to become the first president since Dwight Eisenhower with no previous experience in public elected office.
Trump defied both conventional wisdom and national polls, which in the election’s closing days showed Clinton with a narrow but consistent lead. And he rebounded from scandals that alienated women, minorities and even some members of his own party to win most of the nation’s most competitive states.
His win was sealed by victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, as well as unexpected wins in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which have long reliably voted Democratic. He also held Georgia firmly in the GOP column.
The victory began to reverberate even before the race was called. As Trump pulled ahead, global financial markets tumbled, as Wall Street futures plunged as much as 5 percent.
Trump captured the hearts of many white, working-class conservative voters with an “America First” campaign that vowed to undo free trade deals and build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to prevent illegal immigration. Supporters were drawn by his brash style, outsider status and his simple vow to “make America great again.”
“I’m thrilled,” said Conrad Quagliaroli, the chairman of the Cherokee County Tea Party, who was wearing a Hillary Clinton “lock her up and throw away the key” sign around his neck. “There is a God.”
“This is the end of the cesspool that is Washington, D.C,” he added.
But there was deep shock among Clinton supporters.
“I don’t know what’s more of a bombshell - the results or the choice of the American electorate to back someone who is grossly bigoted,” Oscar Pope, 27, of Atlanta said. “It’s just such a disappointment. It’s more disappointing to see where we are as a country.”
Trump’s win caps a deeply personal and often venomous race, with Trump dubbing his opponent “Crooked Hillary” and vowing to assign federal prosecutors to investigate her if he had won, and Clinton countering that he’s singularly unfit for the office and in cahoots with Russia.
The ugly contest often mirrored a deeply fractured electorate that’s resentful of both parties, frustrated over Washington gridlock and distrustful of both candidates. Trump will inherit a nation that’s not only divided politically but also struggling with income inequality and new military threats.
And his bid opened a gaping rift within the Republican Party, with many GOP leaders and rank-and-file voters holding back their support because of his crude comments about women and minorities, claims that the election is “rigged” against him and concerns about his temperament. He must decide, and soon, how to heal the wounds.
Clinton hoped to sweep away a gender barrier to the White House and become the nation’s first woman president by holding many of the states that President Barack Obama won during the last two elections with the help of a coalition of younger and minority voters, plus suburban women.
But she was burdened by ongoing questions about her foundation’s ties to donors and the startling FBI announcement in late October, when the race seemed all but sealed, that it was investigating a new trove of emails that could be linked to her use of a private server while secretary of state.
FBI director James Comey’s announcement on Sunday that he would not recommend criminal charges against her seemed to have little effect on the race. By then, polls had tightened considerably and Trump was able to make a late push into states once considered safely Democratic.
After decades in the public spotlight as a First Lady, a U.S. senator from New York and secretary of state, Clinton struggled with the perception that she was untrustworthy and unlikable. Polls showed even many Democrats didn’t see her as honest, and both candidates had record-high unfavorable ratings.
Trump relentlessly sowed doubts about Clinton’s credibility while making a series of grand promises with few specifics. He would build a wall on the U.S. border – and make Mexico pay for it. He would renegotiate trade deals, deport those in the country illegally, destroy “radical Islam” and repeal Obama’s healthcare overhaul.
A race that was unpredictable from the start, defying both polls and conventional political wisdom, grew even more volatile as Election Day neared. This was a vote that made vile comments in the “Access Hollywood” video, accusations of “rigged” votes and hacked emails released on Wikileaks part of the daily political discussion.
Clinton tried to stave off a late Trump charge by making the case that she was the most qualified presidential candidate in modern history. She also heartily embraced Obama’s legacy, campaigning with the president and his wife Michelle in a sweep of must-win states in the race’s final days.
Georgia never emerged as a top-tier battleground state during the caustic campaign, as Republicans remained confident they could hold Georgia in the red column for the sixth presidential vote in a row. Both campaigns largely bypassed Georgia in the closing months to shower attention on more competitive states; Clinton’s last visit was in February while Trump’s was in June.
But Georgia also wasn’t relegated to the sidelines. The regional primary designed by Secretary of State Brian Kemp helped catapult both Trump and Clinton to big leads in their primaries. The state was an important fundraising source for Clinton, who built a huge cash lead over the GOP nominee. And top surrogates crisscrossed Georgia in the final sprint to try to shore up support.
By the end of the grueling race, many Georgia voters were simply happy it was over. Brian Benninghoff, a 49-year-old in Dunwoody, said he voted for Trump because he’s lost faith in the federal government.
“I’m mad at the whole system. I’m upset at the entire system,” said Benninghoff. “I’m upset at Washington.”
Eren Thibadeau, a 38-year-old Tucker Democrat, said she voted for Clinton “to be positive and not negative.”
“She does have the experience. She is the most qualified candidate that we’ve ever had,” she said. “Any allegations against her have been consistently unfounded.”
With the traumatic campaign over, Trump’s victory plunges the nation into yet another volatile moment. The Republican won election with a pledge to shake up the status quo and broad but vague promises how he will do so. The American public is about to find out.
About the Author
