Donald Trump has won the 2016 US election.
In a result that no poll expected Trump defeated Clinton 276 electoral votes to her 218.
The Republican candidate took the key states of Ohio, Florida and North Carolina, and Hillary Clinton struggled to stay in the race for The White House after Trump also flipped some Democratic strongholds like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
The night also favoured Republicans in the down ballot races for House and Senate seats allowing the conservative party to retain control in both sectors.
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Taking the stage at an election party in New York to claim victory Vice President-elect Mike Pence told of the Republican campaign’s joy.
“This is a historic time,” said Mr Pence. “The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion.”
A religious man, Pence added: “I come to this moment deeply humbled; grateful to God for his amazing grace.”
He then introduced Trump who came on to the stage with his family to the crowd’s chants of “USA! USA!”
During his address an uncharacteristically humble Trump was quick to give credence to his opponent, who he said just phoned him to congratulate him on his victory.
“I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us on – and it’s about us – on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought campaign,” President-elect Donald Trump began. “She fought hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very seriously.”
With such a tight race Trump tried to give a speech where the clear message was to heal a fractured nation with such opposing views.
“It is time for us to come together as one united people,” he said.
“Ours was not a campaign, but rather, an incredible and great movement.”
Trump then moved on to talk about the future.
“We’re going to dream of things for our country, big things, successful things.”
Trump then thanked his parents – Mary Anne Trump and Fred Trump – both deceased, as well as his wife and children.
“I want to thank my family very much,” he said.
There was also a name-checking of well-known Republicans who have supported Trump on his way to the White House including Rudy Giuliani and Reince Priebus.
Slovenian-born Melania Trump is to be first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams during the presidency of husband John Quincy Adams in the late 1820s.
So much of the commentary about Donald Trump is that he is temperamentally ill-suited to hold office.
Hillary Clinton’s supporters have been left with a lot of questions about the upset. Was it her policies? Last name? The fact she was a woman? Or was it the fact that the former Secretary of State’s email scandal, which reared it’s ugly head once again in late October, was not helpful for Hillary’s home stretch. That FBI investigation again raised questions about Clinton’s trustworthiness – a virtue she’s struggled to convince voters of all through her her gruelling 18 month campaign.
Trump will become America’s 45th president – he joins four others, Taylor, Grant, Hoover and Eisenhower who have held no previous office prior to winning the election. He will be sworn in on January 20, 2017 on the steps of the U.S. Capitol at noon, when the term of President Barack Obama expires.
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