Donald J. Trump Elected 45th President of The United States In 2016 Election

Video Courtesy of WJBK FOX 2 Detroit

An elated yet reserved Donald Trump took the stage at the Hilton on 6th Ave in New York City for his victory speech early in the morning after a long night of the American democracy hard at work. After a historic number of voters headed to the polls, The Associated Press officially called the race for Trump at 2:30 a.m. Eastern time, swiftly followed by other major news outlets.

Chairman of the Clinton Campaign John Podesta urged Clinton supporters to “go home and get some sleep” ahead of more votes to be counted minutes before the AP’s decision to call the race. While Clinton did not address her supporters, Trump thanked Secretary Hillary Clinton for her phone call during which she conceded the race to him. Trump graciously thanked her for a hard-fought campaign and her service to the country. The 45th President Elect spoke of a country divided and how he will work to ensure he won’t let down his supporters and delivered a message to those who didn’t support him.

“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division… have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” Trump said.

Trump won the election with an electoral college vote of 276 against Secretary Clinton’s 218. Trump was able to win key swing states such as Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania on his way to becoming the next president of the United States. A race that many believed to be far out of reach when the day began shifted in Trump’s favor with each state closing their polls and numbers coming in. Trump supporters began to celebrate as the lead grew, and the faces of those at Clinton HQ were of sadness and shock.

Trump thanked his entire family, his supporters and many of those who helped him on the campaign trail including former GOP primary candidates Ben Carson, Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee. Trump noted that while the campaign was difficult, it is only the beginning for what Trump has referred to as a movement.

“I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years, or maybe even eight years, you will say, so many of you worked so hard for us, but you will say that — you will say that that was something that you really were very proud to do and I can,” Trump said. “And, I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning. We’re going to get to work immediately for the American people. And we’re going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. You’ll be so proud. Again, it’s my honor. It was an amazing evening. It’s been an amazing two-year period. And I love this country.”

Republicans were also able to maintain majorities in both the Senate and the House, by a margin of 51-47 in the Senate and 236-191 in the House. This makes the first time since 1928 that a party has controlled the Senate, House, and the executive branch.

Trump will be officially inaugurated on January 20, 2017, and is scheduled to meet with President Obama on Thursday at the White House to discuss a transition plan.

This election cycle has truly been unlike anything the American democracy has ever seen before. Now that it has reached its end the challenge to Trump is whether or not he can bring people together, not only in his own party but across the country.

Steven Gagliano is a writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com. 

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