The 2016 presidential election came to a historic and unexpected conclusion last night as the United States elected Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump to lead the country starting January 20, 2017.
“I had seen so many polls leaning towards Secretary of State Hillary Clinton so I was extremely surprised when I learned that Mr. Trump had, in fact, won the election. I don’t think many people anitpicated this outcome,” senior and class secretary Quinn Butler said.
Despite her loss, Secretary Clinton urged Americans in her concession speech to give support to America’s newly elected president.
“We owe [Mr. Trump] an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. We don’t just respect that. We cherish it. It also enshrines the rule of law; the principle we are all equal in rights and dignity; freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values, too, and we must defend them,” Secretary Clinton said, according to fortune.com.
Locally, Secretary Clinton received Connecticut’s seven electoral votes with 54 percent of the state’s support. Mr. Trump followed with 42 percent of the votes. Former governor of New Mexico Mr. Gary Johnson received three percent of Connecticut vote and Mrs. Jill Stein trailed with one percent.  

Within the northeastern region of the US, Secretary Clinton received electoral votes from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Mr. Trump won the majority in Pennsylvania, according to The New York Times. 
Within the midwest region, Secretary Clinton secured Illinois and Minnesota. Mr. Trump earned Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, according to The New York Times. 
Within the southern region of the US, Secretary Clinton received the majority of votes in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Mr. Trump advanced in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, according to The New York Times.
Within the western region, Secretary Clinton surpassed her competitors in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Mr. Trump gained the electoral votes from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Alaska, according to The New York Times.
The 2016 swing states included Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. These states are crucial in determining the winner in a close race, according to politico.com. Mr. Trump won the majority of the votes from these states by securing the electoral votes from Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin’s results represent an unpredicted flip from its traditional democratic standings, according to politico.com.
Not only did the Republican Party capture the Executive Branch, but it also maintained control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Because Mr. Trump will likely appoint a conservative Justice to the Supreme Court, the Republican Party has the opportunity to affect decision making in the three branches of government, according to The New York Times.
According to The New York Times, in Mr. Trump’s victory speech, he advised American citizens to come together as a divided nation in order to prepare for his presidency.
“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together,” Mr. Trump said. “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.”
-Juliette Guice, Managing Editor and Video Content Editor