In a pivotal moment for the United States, all of the state results for the presidential election have been declared and former President Donald Trump will serve as both the 45th and 47th president
The election saw a large voter turnout for both early voting and voting on Nov. 5. Both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned extensively across the nation, addressing critical issues such as the economy, abortion, immigration, education, and foreign policy.
Former President Trump, running with the Republican Party, won both the popular vote with 74,846,364 votes (50.4%) and the Electoral College vote with 312 electoral votes. Former President Trump was able to win all seven swing states, which was a critical part of his win.
“I was surprised that Donald Trump swept all the swing states. That was a bit of a shock, as well as winning the popular vote with the electoral college vote. So a pretty clean sweep was not something I was expecting,” government teacher Joe Scheidler said.
Vice President Harris became the democratic nominee this year after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection. Vice President Harris had less time to prepare than her running mate and received 71,259,005 votes (48%) in the popular vote and 226 Electoral College votes. Third-party candidates such as Jill Stein with the Green Party, Robert F. Kennedy with the Independent Party, Chase Oliver with the Libertarian Party, and others got a combined total of 2,355,771 votes (1.6%) on the popular vote and 0 Electoral College votes.
“I was very disappointed. I expected Harris to win because I saw a lot of support for her. Then I saw the votes, and I was like, ‘oh.’ I am very scared for the future,” senior Sabrina Frey said.
Political analysts have identified several factors as pivotal in determining the election’s outcome, including the influence of recent economic trends and voter turnout in key swing states such as Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The results have also sparked widespread discussions about the country’s future direction and the policies that will shape the next administration.
As former President Trump prepares to take office, attention is turning to the transition process and the priorities for the incoming president. Many are closely watching to see how the new leadership will address the pressing issues facing the nation.
“Right now, I can tell that it’s split, but the country is trying to get used to it and adapt to it. And it’s gonna be rough, it’s gonna be a lot. But a lot of people just really want the cheaper gas and stuff,” senior Ronald Johnson said.
The election results signify a significant chapter in American history, with far-reaching implications both domestically and internationally. The coming weeks and months will be critical as the country navigates this transition period and looks toward the future.
“It’s the Republican agenda that will be able to move forward since it appears that they also won the House and the Senate,” Scheidler said.