What seemed laughably impossible when Donald Trump announced his candidacy 18 months ago has happened: The real estate mogul-turned-reality TV star is our president-elect.
The Associated Press made the projections shortly after 2 a.m. ET Wednesday morning, dashing Hillary Clinton’s hopes of making history as the first woman president in the United States’ 240 years.
The Republican outsider defeated the consummate Democratic insider by crossing the threshold of 270 electoral votes by winning major battleground states such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
It wasn’t easy for Trump, as his campaign stumbled along the way with a variety of mishaps, offensive comments and internal leadership changes. However, it appears the American people were sick and tired of career politicians and decided a change was due.
Trump is a man who was caught on video boasting to “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush about grabbing and kissing women without consent. (While Bush lost his job at NBC’s “Today” as a result of the leaked tape, Trump’s public image did not seem to be tarnished.) He’s mocked disabled reporters, prisoners of war, Mexicans, fellow Republicans and the media. He’s never held a public office before.
He will also take over as Commander in Chief on Friday, January 20, replacing President Obama, a man he spent years accusing of being born in Kenya and ineligible to be president.
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan emerged as a full-blown movement, with thousands of supporters attending his rallies on a regular basis. The GOP didn’t exactly go out if its way to help him, with several big-name Republicans refusing to support their candidate.
Some how, some way… Trump emerged with a victory. He often said the process would be “rigged,” but that seems to be the only thing he was wrong about when forecasting Election Day.