President-elect Trump supporters say his win is a "win" for everyone
PALM BEACH - Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump are celebrating his victory near his Mar-a-Lago resort after what turned into a very long night of watching and waiting.
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump had 276 electoral voters, clearing the 270 votes needed to clinch the presidency.
Before he was declared the winner, Trump gave a victory speech early Wednesday morning to supporters who had gathered at the Palm Beach County Convention Center for a watch party.
"I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president," he said.
With his children and wife looking on, Trump also discussed the efforts the Republican Party made to secure a win in this election. He thanked the American people, his family, and his campaign staff.
Trump also referenced the July assassination attempt against him and said he was told his life was spared "to restore America to greatness."
"Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness. We are going to fulfill that mission together, we're going to fulfill that mission, " he told the crowd.
Trump won the election in a historic comeback after a 2020 loss, indictments and a bruising campaign.
"We're going to help our country heal, help our country heal. We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly," he told the crowd. "We're going to fix our borders, we're going to fix everything about our country. We made history for a reason tonight and the reason is going to be just that."
"This will forever be remembered as the day the American people regained control of their country," said Trump.
It was a long night for the supporters who came to see him. Many flew in to attend the watch party and see 'their guy'.
"It's a win for everybody, so it's just nice to see that unity, at least as it is here, whereas the last, I would say, eight years, it has been the exact opposite. There's been a lot of polarization that's taking place," said Jason Dick.
"I just supported him because he wants secure borders and he's really good for the economy," said Troy Weber.
Evan Barker, who used to be a Democrat and raised money for the party, said this election changed things for her. She said the reason Vice President Kamala Harris lost was because she seemed out of touch.
"I feel like this happened because the Democratic Party has failed to address the needs of working-class people," she said. "Kamala Harris didn't seem like she knew how to speak to people about the issues they were facing, like being able to afford gas and pay for groceries."
Supporters say they are now looking forward and hoping they made the right choice.
"I'm hoping that the economy gets back on track. My grandma lives in Missouri and she lives on her Social Security check and it's been really, really hard for her to keep up, especially with inflation," said Barker. "I just hope that people feel like they have money in their pocket."
Although Trump was projected as the winner early Wednesday, it will be months before he takes office. He will be sworn in at his presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.
