Trump claims victory, Harris skips party: The biggest surprises of election night
The 2024 presidential election cycle came to a dramatic close in the early morning hours on Wednesday, with President-elect Donald Trump projected to win the presidency and return to the White House on Jan. 20. After a wild campaign cycle that saw key battleground states go to Trump, he delivered a victory speech in Florida, vowing to lead a “golden age of America.”
In his speech, Trump declared that he would fight for every citizen and work to deliver a strong, safe, and prosperous America. He called his campaign the “greatest political movement of all time” and promised to fix everything about the country. Trump emphasized the importance of healing the nation and working towards a better future for all Americans.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris and her campaign decided to call it a night early on Tuesday, with Harris skipping an address to her supporters. Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon encouraged supporters to get some sleep and promised that Harris would deliver remarks on Wednesday. Attendees at the watch party at Howard University were left disappointed as Harris did not speak, with campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond delivering brief remarks instead.
The election also saw Republicans projected to take control of the Senate, with Ohio Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno declaring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer “fired.” The GOP is set to hold a majority in the Senate with at least 51 seats. Nebraska was the state that tipped the scales in favor of the Republicans, with incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer projected to defeat independent challenger Dan Osborn.
Trump secured key battleground states such as Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, leading to his victory in the election. Despite speculation that the vote count could drag out for days, Pennsylvania and Georgia managed to tally votes overnight, handing Trump crucial victories in these battlegrounds. Both campaigns had placed a heightened emphasis on campaigning in these states, with Trump emerging victorious in the end.
On the state level, voters in Florida rejected an amendment that would have created a constitutional right to abortion, while voters in California approved a ballot measure that cracks down on crime. In Florida, Amendment 4, which would have overturned the pro-life Heartbeat Protection Act signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, failed to pass as it did not meet the required 60% threshold. Pro-life and religious groups celebrated the news, while liberal critics expressed disappointment.
The 2024 presidential election cycle concluded with President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, promising to lead the country into a “golden age of America.” The results of the election and the various surprises that unfolded throughout the night have left the nation eagerly anticipating what lies ahead in the next four years under the Trump administration.
