The nation has voted. A final count determined around 3 a.m. today that Donald Trump received the required 270 electoral votes and will be the 45th president of the United States of America.
Florida was one of the first vital swing states to boost Trump’s lead. His victory there awarded him 29 electoral votes. These votes were considered vital for either candidate in reaching the necessary 270. Many believed Trump did not have a feasible path to the presidency without them.
As the night progressed, 5 swing states remained too close to call including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Hampshire and Arizona. Trump had marginal leads in all five before winning them. Wisconsin ended up being the most vital due to its 10 electoral votes pushing Trump over the required amount.
Before Tuesday night, experts considered many of the afore mentioned states to be clear victories for the Democratic Party’s candidate Hillary Clinton. The sudden closeness in these races left many Clinton supporters in shock, as evidenced in frequently shown video clips of various Clinton headquarters.
CBS News noted the historical rarity of a party winning three presidential elections in a row, as would have been the case if Clinton had won, saying that might be a factor in this election. Evidence of how states voted seem to back this theory up. Both Michigan and Pennsylvania haven’t voted a Republican for president since 1988, as reported by political news website Politico. Additionally, Trump won Iowa, Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin – all states that Republican Mitt Romney lost in the 2012 presidential election.
In addition to the presidential victory, by slim margins the Republicans gained control over the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.
Katie Brooks
kcbrooks@vwc.edu
(Photo: flikr | Courtesy)
