Donald J. Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris early Wednesday morning to win enough electoral votes to return to the White House for a second term, making the biggest political comeback in modern U.S. history. .
The president-elect declared victory in a speech from Florida at 2:30 a.m. ET, saying he had masterminded “the greatest political movement in history,” after pledging “revenge” during the campaign, and “defending our country.” “We will cooperate with the recovery of the deceased,” he vowed. ” about his political opponents. It was an almost unthinkable conclusion to what can now be considered the end of the Trump era, which began with a refusal to admit defeat four years ago.
A violent attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters followed, followed by four criminal charges, a felony conviction on 91 counts, and a $354 million judgment in a civil suit against him and his business. A separate jury found him liable. Sexual abuse and defamation.
President Trump said earlier this year that “the real verdict of the people will be on November 5th.”
As expected, the verdict was in his favor. “We overcame obstacles that no one thought were possible,” Trump told supporters gathered at a convention center near his Mar-a-Lago mansion.
After thanking voters, he said he would not rest until he ushered in a “golden age” for America.
“He’s the toughest son-of-a-gun I’ve ever seen,” Fox News’ Brit Hume said late Tuesday, as results began to break down Trump’s path.
Not since Grover Cleveland in 1892 has a U.S. president been elected to two non-consecutive terms. In the end, Trump was able to accomplish this feat by actually expanding the Republican electoral map, rather than simply using a strategy to rally his supporters.
His campaign’s strategy largely eschews mainstream coverage, focusing instead on appealing to young and disaffected minority voters with high-profile appearances on popular podcasts and building traditional ties among these voters. Supported by influencers who replace the media.
As Tuesday night turned into night, it became clear that the high-risk strategy was working. While Trump outperformed across the map in 2020, Harris underperformed against Biden in key counties and key voting blocs, including Latinos and white men. Ta.
In what was thought to be the greatest ground battle in politics, Mr. Trump defeated the challenger who spent $1 billion to defeat him by sheer force.
John King said on CNN, “The former president of the United States, who was considered dead after January 6, 2021, is now running stronger than he was during the last election campaign.” He pointed out that the result was 3 points higher than in 2020.
“Trump has defied history and created a new and diverse coalition,” political scientist Steve Shear told Barron’s. “His accomplishment is an extraordinary accomplishment in presidential history.”
The next president will take office with a tailwind. Republicans have also retaken the Senate, so his cabinet and judicial appointments are likely to face minimal resistance (control of the House remained in limbo as of early Wednesday, with all California elections pending). (It is likely that the situation will continue for several days until the next day is convened.)
The economy is operating at full strength after a period of post-pandemic inflation, and the Federal Reserve is likely to cut rates again at its meeting later this week. And pending cases against him are now either dead on arrival or in serious disarray.
Trump, twice impeached, a one-term president, and a convicted felon, has four more years to reorganize the government rather than end his career on a bad note. , will have a chance to build on his record as the most influential Republican. The first president since Ronald Reagan.
But unlike President Reagan’s landslide victory 40 years ago, President Trump may not return to the White House with broad governing powers. But whether he sees his victory as an obligation is another story.
In it, Joe Biden is warning. The 46th president took office promising to be a “bridge” to a “new generation of leaders,” but since then he has sought to govern in the style of FDR. Despite plummeting poll numbers, Biden chose to run for re-election even though a wide range of voters, including those in his own party, repeatedly said they thought he was too old. .
As for Ms. Harris, as vice president she will be tasked with presiding over the certification of Mr. Trump’s victory by Congress on January 6 next year — a day after the Capitol riot that seemed doomed at the time. It will be 4 years. Consign your opponent to the dustbin of history.
