As the sun set on Election Day, with all eyes glued to TV screens and phones as the major party candidates raced to 270 electoral votes, Donald Trump, the Republican Party candidate, defied expectations and was announced the next president of the United States.
Trump beat out Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton — who many had projected to dominate — and a slew of third-party candidates.
The race between Clinton and Trump, however, was the highlight of the evening as numbers began to fluctuate between the two throughout the night.
The Republican Party of New Mexico held a watch party at the Albuquerque Convention Center downtown, where supporters flooded the tables in front of TVs, voicing their support for the unorthodox candidate and becoming more optimistic about his chances as the night went on.
Allie Grady, a Trump supporter and UNM student, voiced the reasons she voted for the polarizing candidate, explaining that her father lost his doctor under Obamacare.
“He was ultimately left high and dry when he needed treatment the most,” she said.
She also mentioned dealing with her own hardships with Obamacare as an out-of-state student.
“I think that you should be able to pick who your doctor is, because I have a really hard time here in New Mexico getting coverage,” she said. “I will always stand by repealing Obamacare.”
Grady said she was hopeful that the now president-elect would be able to fix what she called a sub par economy under the Obama administration.
“Trump being a businessman, he will be able to rectify the last eight years that has gone to our government,” she said.
Supporter Chuck Pez shared how eager he was for change in the White House.
“I think with Trump, there will be something new,” he said. “Not being a part of the establishment is really going to bring some change to Washington.”
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Trump supporters were at the edge of their seats through the night at the watch party, shouting as he won vital states like Iowa and Florida.
Back in July, Donald Trump accepted his presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, after announcing his candidacy in the summer of 2015.
In his acceptance speech that evening, Trump discussed the issues that he would address as president of the U.S., including violence in urban communities, immigration and the appointment of Supreme Court justices.
In a brief victory speech from his campaign headquarters in New York after Clinton called to congratulate him, Trump thanked his supporters and said the country must be no less than bold to essentially fulfill his campaign’s slogan of making the country great again.
“It’s time to come together as one united people,” he said. “We’re going to get to work immediately for the American people, and we’re going to be doing a job that hopefully, you will be so proud of your president.”
Megan Nyce is a news reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Megznham.
