With the polls coming to a close, Donald Trump is re-elected as President, the Senate becomes conservative and we await the majority ruling of the House of Representatives.
On Nov. 5, Trump won the electoral votes of almost every swing state, with Arizona and Nevada still counting, beating Kamala Harris. As of Nov. 7, Trump has 295 electoral votes compared to her 226.
The Republicans won the majority in the House of Representatives with 53 seats compared to the Democratic Party’s 45 seats. At the moment, there are three vacancies, one previously held by a Republican and two by Democrats. If Republicans maintain control, it will usher in a new era of GOP governance, which will support Trump’s agenda. If Democrats gain control, it would serve as the last line of resistance to Trump’s policies.
There are many mixed opinions on this Republican sweep of the federal government, with the exception of the House. Some are choosing to credit Trump’s win to his portrayal through social media.
A TV executive shared in a column in the New York magazine, “If half the country has decided that Trump is qualified to be president, that means they’re not reading any of this media, and we’ve lost this audience completely,” the executive said. “A Trump victory means mainstream media is dead in its current form. And the question is what does it look like after.”
On the contrary, many are highlighting the strengths of his campaign.
Shane Goldmacher, from the New York Times, shared, “How he won in 2024 came down to one essential bet: that his grievances could meld with those of the MAGA movement, and then with the Republican Party, and then with more than half the country. His mug shot became a best-selling shirt. His criminal conviction inspired $100 million in donations in one day. The images of him bleeding after a failed assassination attempt became the symbol of what supporters saw as a campaign of destiny.”
Trump is currently garnering support from Emmanuel Macron, the French President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, Mark Cuban, Elon Musk and Dean Cain to name a few.
However, Trump’s success is likely to lead to increased restrictions regarding abortion access, with the possibility of a national abortion ban. There may also be attempts to restrict access to birth control and other reproductive health services. This is resulting in many concerns regarding the impact of Trump’s re-election on the representation of women in politics and leadership roles.
Seth Myers, Late Night Host, urged viewers not to lose hope: “The pursuit of justice doesn’t conclude with a single election. We must brace ourselves for what lies ahead and exert all efforts to create the world we wish to inhabit.”
Trump is also the oldest president ever elected, being 78 years old, while his Vice President, JD Vance, is the second youngest Vice President ever elected.
In spite of the mixed feelings regarding the election results, Trump has begun the process of naming his cabinet and preparing to take office in January 2025.
