From Staff Reports

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, a Republican, on Nov. 5 rolled to a landslide — and upset – victory in his bid for the presidency over Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent.

Trump romped past Harris in both the national popular vote and the Electoral College vote as follows:

• Popular vote — Trump won 77,378,270 votes, or 50.01 percent, versus Harris’ 74,561,822 votes, or 48.3 percent.

• Electoral vote — Trump won 312 votes versus Harris’ 226 votes.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Trump won 2,897,756 votes, or 51.0 percent, versus Harris’ 2,714,229 votes, or 47.8 percent. Trump collected the state’s 16 electoral votes. 

Economist.com on Nov. 10 noted that Trump, 78, “improved on his 2020 vote share in nearly 90 percent of (U.S.) counties. He is likely to become the first Republican in 20 years to win the popular vote.”

The New York Post, which endorsed Trump’s run for the presidency, stated in a Nov. 10 story (headlined: “Trump clinches biggest popular vote count by a Republican ever as president-elect’s historic 2024 election win grows”):

“President-elect Donald Trump has nabbed the highest raw count of the popular vote of any Republican presidential hopeful ever, according to projections of the 2024 election...

“Republicans haven’t won the popular vote in a presidential contest since 2004, when President George W. Bush got 62 million votes.

“Ronald Reagan won 54 million votes in his landslide re-election in 1984 — when the country had 100 million fewer people than it does now.

“President Biden still has scored the largest raw count of the popular vote of any presidential contender in US history, with 81.3 million votes for him in 2020...

“Republicans have also recaptured the Senate and are within striking distance of retaining the House of Representatives.” (Since the N.Y. Post story appeared, officials have said the GOP also has clinched a slim majority in the House.)

His historic triumph in what was widely considered a toss-up race by most pollsters included a win in every one of the seven so-called “battleground states” that included (locally) North Carolina and Georgia. (The other “battleground states” where Trump prevailed were Pennsylvania, Michigan Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.) 

Regarding Trump’s stunning political comeback, USA Today reported on Nov. 7 the following:

“Impeached twice. Convicted of 34 felony counts. Ejected from the White House four years ago...

“Even Trump was left marveling at one of th most remarkable comebacks in political history.

“‘Look at what happened — is this crazy?’ Trump told a screaming crowd of supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, early Wednesday (Nov. 6) morning...

“The soon-to-be 47th commander-in-chief is only the second president in US history to win a second nonconsecutive term after Glover Cleveland, a Democrat who served as the 22nd and 24th U.S. president starting in 1885...

“Trump is working to staff up his second administration...”

The president-elect met with U.S. President Joe Biden in a transition meeting at the White House on Nov. 13.

Trump’s opponent, Harris, conceded the race to Trump in a tearful concession speech at her alma mater, Howard University. While conceding defeat, the vice president insisted that “the fight isn’t over.”

Regarding the Nov. 5 general election results, the N.Y. Post reported on Nov. 6, “Former President Donald Trump made breakthrough gains with Hispanics nationwide and substantially improved his standing with black voters in swing states in the 2024 election, according to exit polls. 

“Hispanic men supported Trump on Election Day over Vice President Kamala Harris by a stunning 10-point margin, according to an NBC News exit poll. 

“The former president received 54 percent support from Hispanic men compared to Harris’ 44 percent backing.”

In her concession address, in which she said she accepts the election results and is committed to a peaceful transfer of power, Harris urged her supporters not to despair, but to continue “the fight that fueled this campaign,” CBSNews.com reported on Nov. 7.

“Let me say my heart is full today,” Harris said. “My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve. The outcome of this election was not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”

CBSNews.com also reported, “The vice president pledged to continue fighting for democracy, the rule of law and equal justice.”