On November 5th, Fmr. President Donald J. Trump was re-elected President of the United States with a mandate of over 72 million Americans, allowing President-Elect Trump to win with both the electoral and popular vote. While Nevada and Arizona are still being counted, both states are expected to go to the 45th President which would finalize the 2024 Presidential Election and put him at 312 electoral votes. Joining him, as a partner in the White House, is Middletown native, Ohio Senator JD Vance who is now the Vice President-Elect. Vice President-Elect Vance has served as Ohio’s Senator since being elected in 2022 and prior, was the author of best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy as well as the United States Marine, and an OSU graduate. At the age of 40, he will be the third youngest Vice President with President Trump set to be the oldest US President at the age of 78.
In the early hours of November 6th, FOX News called Pennsylvania for President Trump which put him at a 267 lead – 3 votes shy of the 270 Electoral votes needed to win. While Alaska was set to go to Trump with its 3 electoral votes, it would be Wisconsin that delivered the victory to President Trump and paved the way for him to become the 47th President. Over the next 24 hours, Michigan, Alaska, and Arizona would be called for President Trump, albeit not by the Associated Press.
Straying from historical precedent, Vice President Kamala Harris did not call to concede the election that morning despite the race being called for President Trump. President Trump still gave a ‘victory lap’ speech before the crowd of supporters gathered there at his Palm Beach property.
“Thank you very much. Wow. Well, I want to thank you all very much. This is great. These are our friends. We have thousands of friends in this incredible movement. This is a movement like nobody’s ever seen before and, frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time”, the President-Elect said, “We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We’re going to fix our borders, we’re going to fix everything about our country and we’ve made history for a reason tonight.”
President-Elect Trump had others go up to speak to the crowd of optimistic supporters, including the new Vice President, JD Vance, who thanked President Trump, supporters, and the American people.
“I thank you [Trump] for the trust that you placed in me, and I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America. And under President Trump’s leadership, we’re never going to stop fighting for you, for your dreams, for the future of your children. And after the greatest political comeback in American history, we’re going to lead the greatest economic comeback in American history under Donald Trump’s leadership” Vice President-Elect Vance stated.
Nearly twelve hours later, Vice President Kamala Harris gave her concession speech. She gave her speech before a crowd of her supporters at Howard University, with teary-eyed politicians and supporters alike. She thanked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz who served as the Democrat’s VP candidate, her husband, Second Gentlemen Doug Emhoff, as well as the millions of Americans who supported, donated, and voted for her. Harris said she was willing to work on a smooth and peaceful transition for the incoming Trump administration. Vice President Harris’ message to her supporters was hopeful, optimistic, and urged her supporters to never give up.
“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign—the fight: the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness, and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up.”, the defeated Vice President emphatically stated. She concluded with a historical adage to reassure her supporters that all would be okay. “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case. But here’s the thing, America, if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billion of stars.”
Messages of support and congratulations for President-Elect Trump poured in from at home and abroad, including Fmr. Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush, and Obama, President Biden, and foreign heads of state like India PM Narenda Modi, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, UK PM Keir Starmer, and staunch Trump ally, Hungary PM Viktor Orban. Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the first to congratulate President-Elect Trump on his victory.
“I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs,” Zelensky stated. “This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together.”
With the page turning, a new administration to enter the White House, millions of Americans wait with bated breath to wish our new President well, and hope for a prosperous four more years under President Trump come January 20th, 2025.
