Former President Donald Trump is projected to win the presidential race, according to ABC News, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a dramatic comeback to reclaim the White House.
Trump secured at least 279 electoral votes by winning key swing states—Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin—while Harris garnered at least 219 votes. The election was unprecedented, marked by two assassination attempts on Trump and 34 felony convictions, adding to his record as a twice-impeached president who faced criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the most striking moments of the race was President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw after a challenging June debate, where he struggled to communicate effectively.
Trump’s victory reflects deep voter frustration over issues like inflation and immigration, which consistently topped polls as areas of dissatisfaction with Biden’s administration. His return to office also suggests that Democrats may have been unable to galvanize enough support for the historic possibility of electing the first female president, nor was there sufficient momentum from the base over the Supreme Court’s reversal of abortion rights protections.
For Trump, this win not only marks political vindication but may also offer legal shielding. Since his loss in 2020, he faced repeated legal and political setbacks. As president, he may now be able to influence ongoing criminal investigations related to his handling of classified documents and attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
In his victory speech, Trump expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president.”
Trump’s win is expected to shape the future of both parties. His “Make America Great Again” brand of politics may solidify as the guiding force in Republican ideology, with Vice President-elect JD Vance positioned to carry Trump’s message forward in the years to come.
For Democrats, the loss will likely prompt a period of introspection as they assess why voters opted to support a twice-impeached former president with felony convictions rather than their own candidates.
