While the votes are still coming in, Republican candidate Donald Trump surpassed polling estimates to defeat Hillary Clinton for the presidency with the majority of electoral votes. Republicans also took control of the United States House of Representatives with over 230 seats and the United States Senate with 51 seats.
Clinton’s support was not as strong among African-American, Latino, women, and younger voters as Obama’s was in 2012, according to CNN. According to CBS, lack of support from these groups made Clinton unable to offset white voters who turned out in substantial numbers for Trump. The Guardian reported that Clinton conceded the election to Trump after his victory in Wisconsin.
In his acceptance speech, according to a transcript from CNN.com, 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.”
Trump secured his victory with wins in swing states Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, according to USA Today. In Florida, Trump won by 128,863 votes. Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Leon, Osceola, Orange, Alachua and Gadsden counties voted for Hillary, while Trump took the rest of the state, according to the New York Times.
Florida also elected Republican candidate Marco Rubio to the United States Senate with 52 percent of the vote, and 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats to the United States House of Representatives, as reported by Google News. The state passed amendments relating to the legalization of medical marijuana, tax exemption for first responders and homestead exemptions for seniors but denied Amendment 1, which dealt with rights to use solar energy equipment.
In Broward County, incumbent sheriff Scott Israel was re-elected with 72 percent of the vote, according to Local 10 News.
Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place on Jan. 20.
