Donald Trump was projected to become the 47th president of the United States early Wednesday, completing what many are calling the most remarkable political comeback in American history.
At 78, Trump was on track for an Electoral College victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, having flipped key states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. His strong support base among white rural and working-class voters, along with increased backing from ethnic minorities, fueled his comeback.
“There’s never been anything like this in this country, and maybe beyond,” Trump said at a victory celebration in Palm Beach County, near his Mar-a-Lago resort. “We’re going to help our country heal,” he added, referring to the nation’s urgent need for change. “We’re going to fix our borders … fix everything about our country.”
Trump’s win was a significant moment for Republicans, who were also projected to reclaim control of the Senate after four years in the minority. However, the outcome of the House of Representatives remained uncertain, with the final results expected in the coming days.
Perhaps the most surprising development was that, as of early Wednesday, Trump was set to win the popular vote, ending a 20-year losing streak for Republican nominees in the raw vote tally.
Repeat at Howard University
In an eerie repeat of the 2016 election, thousands of Harris supporters gathered at Howard University were left stunned and in tears as it became clear that their candidate was losing. It was not Harris but her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, who had to inform the crowd that the vice president would not be making an appearance that night. “We still have votes to count,” Richmond told the crowd, adding, “She will be back here tomorrow.”
Trump’s confidence in the final stretch of the race was apparent, as he targeted male voters and campaigned relentlessly with a packed schedule of rallies and media appearances. Meanwhile, Harris downplayed her potential historic first as a female president and her identity as the child of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, opting to emphasize a pro-small business, middle-class platform.
Trump’s victory makes him only the second president to win non-consecutive terms, joining Democrat Grover Cleveland, who was elected both the 22nd and 24th president.
Though the race was closely contested, early exit polls revealed that Americans were frustrated with the status quo, particularly concerning economic hardships and illegal immigration. Trump capitalized on this sentiment, vowing to fight for American families and a prosperous future. “This will truly be the golden age of America,” he declared.
Hurdles on both sides
Both Trump and Harris faced the electorate as incumbents in their own right, with Trump coming off his 2020 rejection and Harris emerging as the Democratic nominee after President Biden’s decision not to run for re-election.
In the final days, the race took a divisive turn. A controversial remark by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally and comments from Biden about Trump supporters stirred tensions. At the same time, Biden’s campaign was marred by remarks and behavior that some believed alienated swing voters, particularly as he distanced himself from his vice president.
Trump’s campaign also faced legal challenges, with multiple criminal indictments, including allegations of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. Throughout the campaign, Trump was also targeted by assassination attempts, adding to the tension of the race.
Harris clinched the Democratic nomination in August, following a push by high-profile Democrats to remove Biden from the 2024 race after his poor debate performance. Harris’s campaign, buoyed by over $1 billion in fundraising, sought to pivot her image to the center, distancing her from earlier left-wing stances.
Trump’s campaign benefited from significant financial support, including from Democratic-leaning figures like hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who launched a PAC to back Trump’s candidacy.
Trump’s platform centered on stricter border enforcement, deregulation of the oil and gas industry, and bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He also proposed policies like taxpayer-funded in vitro fertilization and eliminating taxes on service workers’ tips, many of which Harris later incorporated into her own platform.