Donald Trump was declared the winner in Wisconsin on Wednesday, securing the 270 electoral votes needed to reclaim the presidency in a dramatic political comeback. With the AP calling Wisconsin in his favor, Trump was officially elected the 47th President of the United States, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris and securing a second non-consecutive term in the White House.
As the results came in, Harris did not speak, and what was intended to be a victory celebration at her alma mater, Howard University, shifted to a more somber tone. Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond addressed the crowd, informing them that Harris would speak later in the day.
The Democratic Party’s swift descent into turmoil began soon after the election results were announced, with high-profile figures like Stephen King, Bette Midler, Andy Cohen, Christina Applegate, and John Cusack expressing their shock and dismay over the outcome.
In the aftermath, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance tweeted, “THANK YOU! To my amazing wife for making this possible. To President Donald J. Trump, for giving me the opportunity to serve our country at this level. And to the American people, for their trust. I will never stop fighting for ALL of you.”
On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris reached out to Trump to congratulate him on his victory, according to a senior Harris aide. The Associated Press reported that the two discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power.
Trump and the Republican Party triumphed in the race for the executive branch, following a bitter, populist campaign in which Trump aired his grievances over losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. His campaign was overshadowed by numerous legal challenges, including a jury’s guilty verdict in May on 34 felony counts related to his “hush money” case, making him the first president to enter the White House after being convicted of a felony. Sentencing for this case is scheduled for November 26.
Despite facing setbacks, including a gunshot wound to the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and multiple threats against his life, Trump pressed on. In May, a shooter injured him while he was speaking at an outdoor event, but he recovered quickly and went on to attend the GOP convention in Philadelphia that August. In September, a would-be assassin was discovered outside one of his Florida golf courses, adding to the list of violent attempts against him during the campaign. Trump’s resilience only seemed to energize his supporters as he realigned his “Make America Great Again” movement and set his sights on reclaiming the White House.
Trump’s dominance over the Republican Party was on full display at the 2024 GOP convention, where he easily defeated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his former vice president Mike Pence, ex-cabinet member Nikki Haley, and other contenders for the party’s nomination. Despite opting out of participating in any primary debates, Trump maintained a commanding lead of double digits over his rivals throughout his nearly two-year campaign.
Trump’s 2024 bid, which officially began with his announcement on November 15, 2022, followed the same combative rally style and populist rhetoric that had defined his previous runs. He used these rallies to air his grievances about ongoing legal battles and to perpetuate false claims about the 2020 election, which he insisted was “stolen” in what became known as the “Big Lie.” His narrative found a receptive audience among his loyal supporters, who continued to rally behind him even as he insisted that the January 6th Capitol attack was justified, claiming the MAGA crowd had been unfairly vilified.
By the end of 2023, the financial toll of Trump’s relentless promotion of the 2020 election fraud narrative had reached nearly $1 billion, a staggering cost fueled by legal battles and misinformation.