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Nikki Haley calls Trump’s win ‘a great moment for democracy’
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who became one of Trump’s more vocal challengers in the 2024 Republican primary before eventually endorsing him, said on her radio show Wednesday that he “defied gravity” with his win.
“He got through two assassination attempts. He got through two impeachments, he got through numerous indictments, and America still elected him because, at the end of the day, they knew what they were getting with Donald Trump. And that’s what they wanted to see,” she said.
Haley called it “a great moment for democracy.”
Voters in Amarillo, Texas, reject sweeping anti-abortion proposal
Voters in Amarillo, Texas, overwhelmingly rejected a sweeping anti-abortion proposal that would have essentially imposed a travel ban on those seeking abortions out of state by allowing civil lawsuits against anyone who assists them, even if it’s in another state.
Dubbed the “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn” ordinance, the 18-page proposition was rejected by nearly 60% of voters.
Lindsay London, a local nurse who helped found a volunteer group opposing the effort, described the vote as a “defining win.”
“Amarillo is the first city in the nation to reject an abortion ban,” London said. “We hope to set the tone for not only the state but the nation, that we will not penalize anyone for seeking health care when they’re facing an extreme travel ban in their own state.”
The vote was the culmination of a yearlong effort by abortion opponents who tried unsuccessfully to get city leaders to approve the ordinance.
Trump and Prince Mohammed have spoken, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry says
Prince Mohammed “expressed — may God protect him — the kingdom’s aspiration to strengthen the historical and strategic relations between the two countries, wishing the friendly American people progress and prosperity under his excellency’s leadership,” a statement from the foreign ministry read.
Trump made his first foreign trip as president to Saudi Arabia. He stood by the kingdom, even as ties became strained over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives in Istanbul.
Netanyahu says he spoke with Trump on Wednesday
“The conversation was warm and cordial,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his election victory, and the two agreed to work together for Israel’s security. The two also discussed the Iranian threat.”
Netanyahu’s office said he was among the first world leaders to call Trump after his victory.
Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East at a time when Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and has recently traded fire with Iran. The president-elect, who was a staunch supporter of Israel during his previous term, has not said how he will do it.
Some voters want less government say on vaccines, as Trump promises RFK Jr. big role
A contingent of U.S. voters signaled they want the government to be less involved in vaccinating children for diseases, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide.
In the final weeks of the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had stepped up appearances with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promising the vaccine skeptic free reign in his administration to investigate childhood diseases like obesity and autism. Kennedy has urged his followers to flout the U.S. government’s current vaccine recommendations for their children.
About 2 in 10 voters said they want less government involvement in childhood vaccinations. Of those voters, roughly 8 in 10 voted for Trump.
Harris to concede Wednesday afternoon
Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver a concession speech Wednesday at 4 p.m., her office announced.
Harris will speak at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, where her supporters watched returns Tuesday night before being sent home after midnight as President-elect Donald Trump pulled ahead in battleground state results.
Republican John James wins reelection to U.S. House in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District
Republican Rep. John James won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Michigan on Wednesday.
James fended off a challenge from Carl Malinga, a Democrat he's faced before in the suburbs north of Detroit. James is an Army veteran who became president of his family’s supply chain management firm before running for Congress. Voters in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District chose James over Marlinga by just 1,600 votes in 2022. The thin margin caught the attention and pocketbooks of national Democratic spenders who promised a competitive second round. The Associated Press declared James the winner at 12:21 p.m. EST.
Republican Derrick Van Orden wins reelection to U.S. House in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District
Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Van Orden was on the Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and is one of Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters. He defeated Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke, a former Democratic fundraiser. Van Orden flipped the seat in 2022 after it had been held by Democrats since 1996. The Associated Press declared Van Orden the winner at 12:10 p.m. EST.
Sen. Mitch McConnell credits Republicans’ election success in the Senate to ‘candidate quality’
Outgoing Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell credited his party’s Senate election success to “candidate quality,” saying it was “absolutely essential.”
In past election cycles, Republican Senate candidates have emerged from the populist, right-wing of the party but many struggled to win statewide votes. This year, Senate Republican leaders made a concerted effort to recruit mainstream candidates who offered broad appeal.
There has been intense friction within the GOP between the camps largely headed by Donald Trump and McConnell. A recent biography revealed that the longtime Senate leader has privately excoriated Trump, especially for his efforts to overturn 2020 election results.
While McConnell credited Trump’s campaign operation for the victory, he also chalked up the election results to frustrations with the current Democratic administration.
“If you’re looking for a simple answer, I think it was a referendum on the current administration, in part. People were just not happy with this administration and the Democratic nominee was a part of it,” McConnell said.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: It’s a ‘happy day for the GOP’
Outgoing Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called Wednesday a “happy day for the GOP” as he congratulated Donald Trump for his victory and credited it to “a sharper operation this time around.”
McConnell said he hopes Republicans’ majority in the Senate may still grow as races in battleground states are decided.
Senate Republicans will decide next week who the next majority leader will be.
CISA director: ‘No evidence of any malicious activity’ affecting the security, integrity of the election
Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on Wednesday praised the work of state and local election officials and the hundreds of thousands who served as poll workers on Election Day.
“As we have said repeatedly, our election infrastructure has never been more secure and the election community never better prepared to deliver safe, secure, free, and fair elections for the American people,” Easterly said. “This is what we saw yesterday in the peaceful and secure exercise of democracy.”
The nation’s capital — and its construction workers — are already preparing for a transfer of power
For all of the heady talk of democracy and the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next, a presidential transition also involves things that are less conceptual — and more mundane.
That includes construction of all the temporary structures for the presidential inauguration.
In front of the White House, workers had fenced a section of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park as they constructed the Presidential Inaugural Parade Reviewing Stands. The temporary pavilion is where Trump and his family will take in the parade as it winds in front of the White House on Jan. 20.
On the National Mall, work has also begun on the inauguration platform, from where Trump will be sworn into office and address the nation. Nearly four years ago, on Jan. 6, Trump supporters rushed the Capitol and used pieces of the half-built structure to attack police officers. Workers on the site had to flee.
This year, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle gathered in September to drive the first nails for the structures, symbolizing the unity they aspired to forge amidst a divisive presidential campaign.
Harris campaign invites supporters to a post-election event at Howard University
“We invite you to join the Harris-Walz campaign for an event with Vice President Kamala Harris today at Howard University in Washington, D.C.,” read the text. “Doors will open at 1:00 PM.”
Harris was scheduled to speak at Howard on Tuesday night and the atmosphere at the event was jubilant as initial results rolled in. As the night dragged on and it became clear that Harris would not defeat Trump, her supporters grew dour.
Cedric Richmond, Harris’ campaign co-chair, then told the audience they “won’t hear from the vice president tonight.”
In Melania Trump’s hometown, there is a cake named in her honor
In Melania Trump’s hometown in Slovenia, locals are proud that one of their own will once again become the U.S. first lady.
Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election has been followed closely in Sevnica, a town nestled in a valley by the Sava river where Melania Trump grew up under Communism as Melanija Knavs.
“We are very proud that Mrs. Melanija has become the first lady again, that she will perform her role with honor and dignity, just like in the previous mandate,” Sevnica mayor Srecko Cvirk said.
Sevnica previously — and proudly — advertised itself as Melania Trump’s hometown, so much so that a local party shop created a cake in her name eight years ago.
The “Melanija” is made of green nuts, caramel, almond cream and white chocolate mousse.
“It is white because of the White House,” said the shop’s manager, Franja Kranjc.
Former President Bush congratulates Trump
In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”
Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.
Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”
“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”
How do the 2024 numbers compare to 2020?
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received a record of over 80 million votes to win the White House in 2020. They beat Donald Trump and Mike Pence, who received over 74 million votes.
This year so far, the Democratic ticket has received only 66 million.
Meanwhile. Trump and Vance have received over 71 million votes as of Wednesday morning.
In 2020, Biden and Harris won the majority of the Electoral College with 306 votes, the identical margin Trump won back in 2016. This year, Trump clinched the nomination with 277 electoral votes, with 37 votes still up for grabs.
Republican Kevin Kiley wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 3rd Congressional District
Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Jessica Morse.
Kiley, a first-term congressman, had captured the seat in 2022 by arguing that California was in turmoil under Democratic rule in Washington and Sacramento. The 3rd Congressional District stretches across much of the state’s eastern border and includes Sacramento’s northeastern suburbs. Former President Trump narrowly carried the district in the 2020 presidential election. The Associated Press declared Kiley the winner at 10:48 a.m. EST.
After election loss in Montana, Sen. Jon Tester says he called Republican Tim Sheehy to congratulate him
Tester also thanked his supporters and said he’d go back to working on his farm.
“Look, I’m very, very blessed,” he said. “I’ve had a great 18 years in the United States Senate. I’ve met some incredible people along the way and had the opportunity to do some great things to help move this state forward, move the country forward.”
Wisconsin’s Senate race remains close
Wisconsin’s hotly contested race for U.S. Senate between Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde, who was backed by President-elect Donald Trump, remained close Wednesday morning.
Baldwin had a lead of 0.9% based on unofficial results, which is just within the 1% margin that would allow for Hovde to request a recount if he pays for it.
Morocco’s king calls Trump’s win ‘a tribute to his patriotism’
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Wednesday expressed “sincere congratulations” and “best wishes” to President-elect Donald Trump, referencing the latter’s 2020 decision to back Morocco’s stance in the disputed Western Sahara.
“Mr. Trump’s resounding success in these elections is a tribute to his patriotism and rewards his commitment to upholding the best interests of the United States,” the king wrote in a letter published by the state press agency, MAP.
The 61-year-old monarch said Moroccans were grateful for Trump’s move to shift the United States’ longstanding position in the Western Sahara, a disputed territory that Morocco considers its southern provinces and the United Nations considers “non-self-governing.”
He added that Morocco — which normalized relations with Israel as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords — was committed to allying with the United States to address “increasingly complex regional and global challenges.”
Morocco hopes Trump follows through on the State Department’s yet-to-be-fulfilled 2020 commitment to build a consulate in the disputed territory.
US stock market and bitcoin surge on Trump’s return to office
Investors are betting on what Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.
The Dow jumped 1,200 points, or 2.8% early Wednesday and major stocks including Elon Musk's Tesla and bitcoin soared.
Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the Truth Social platform, also surged.
Republicans seek to add to their Senate majority in Pennsylvania’s race
Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race between three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick could help Republicans pad their newfound majority in the chamber in a battleground state contest that remained uncalled by The Associated Press on Wednesday.
McCormick led vote counting Wednesday morning by about 50,000 votes, or less than 1%, but a significant number of votes remained uncounted. In a statement Wednesday, Casey’s campaign said, “There are more votes that need to be counted in areas like Philadelphia and it’s important that every legal ballot will be counted. When that happens we are confident the senator will be reelected.”
It’s the first time Casey has shared the same ballot as Donald Trump, who won Pennsylvania for a second time in 2024 after winning it in 2016.
Casey, the son of a former two-term governor, is a stalwart of the state’s Democratic Party, having won six statewide elections going back to 1996.
McCormick is making his second run for the Senate after losing narrowly in 2022's Republican primary. He left his job as CEO of the world's largest hedge fund to run.
Democratic incumbent US Rep. Susan Wild concedes in competitive Pennsylvania House race
Three-term Democratic Rep. Susan Wild has conceded in in her race against Republican Ryan Mackenzie in a hotly contested Pennsylvania congressional district, though The Associated Press still hasn’t called the race.
Republicans had targeted the seat as a possible flip that would boost their prospects for keeping the House majority.
“I congratulate my opponent on winning this seat, and I am going to do everything to ensure a smooth transition, because the people of this district deserve nothing less,” Wild said in her statement.
What could Trump’s win mean for Europe?
Dozens of European leaders will be assessing a new global outlook during a one-day summit in Hungary's capital on Thursday, with the knowledge that the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president could have far-reaching consequences for the continent.
Despite myriad economic problems and two wars in the neighborhood, all eyes will be glued on Washington to see whether Trump's return will cause political strife throughout the continent, much like his first presidency did.
▶ Read more about how trans-Atlantic economic relations might change
What are Trump’s plans for a second administration?
Donald Trump has promised sweeping action in a second administration.
The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda that blends traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation and cultural issues with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America’s international role.
Trump’s agenda also would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.
▶ Read more about Trump's proposed policies
Bolsonaro hopes Brazil will ‘follow the same path’ following Trump’s win
Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro said on the social platform X that Trump’s imminent return to the White House marked “the triumph of the people’s will over the arrogant designs of an elite who disdain our values, beliefs, and traditions.”
He said Trump’s victory was historic and would empower right-wing and conservative movements across the globe, and he hoped it would inspire Brazil to “follow the same path.”
Bolsonaro lost his reelection bid in late 2022 and a little over two months later, his supporters stormed the capital in a bid to restore him to power. It was widely seen as an echo of the U.S. Capitol insurrection two years earlier, and Bolsonaro is now the target of several investigations.
A unified Republican grip on Washington would set the course for Trump’s agenda
But if Democrats wrest control of the House, it would provide an almost certain backstop, with veto power over the White House.
Trump, speaking early Wednesday at his election night party in Florida, said the results delivered an "unprecedented and powerful mandate" for Republicans.
He called the Senate rout "incredible." And he praised House Speaker Mike Johnson, who dashed from his own party in Louisiana to join Trump. "He's doing a terrific job," Trump said.
Vote counting in some races could go on for days and control of the House is too early to call.
▶ Read more about the congressional races
Norwegian group: Trump’s election means US ‘will no longer be a driving force’ in climate fight
Norwegian Bellona environmental group said that “with the election of Donald Trump, the United States will no longer be a driving force globally to reach the 1.5 Celsius target,” referencing the international goal of trying to limit future warming since preindustrial times.
The outcome means the European Union “must take the global leadership role in the climate fight, and to a significantly greater extent ensure the defense of Europe’s strategic interests,” the group said.
“The EU will now become significantly more important for climate, technology development and restructuring in the next four years,” Frederic Hauge, founder of the Oslo-based organization, said in a statement.
On Ukraine’s front and in Kyiv, hope and pragmatism compete when it comes to Trump’s election
Soldiers in a Ukrainian artillery battery on the front lines of the country's east were only vaguely aware of American election results pointing to Donald Trump's victory Wednesday — but firm in their hopes for the next president of the United States.
Their entrenched artillery battery fires on Russian forces daily — and takes fire nearly as often. Just the other day, one of their overhead nets snared a Russian drone.
"I hope that the quantity of weapons, the quantity of guns for our victory will increase," the unit's 39-year-old commander, who goes by the name Mozart, said in the hours before Trump's win was confirmed. "We don't care who is the president, as long as they don't cut us off from help, because we need it."
Though Trump's election throws into doubt American support for Ukraine — and ultimately whether Kyiv can beat back Russia's invasion — the soldiers who use their Starlink connection to the internet sparingly learned of the results from Associated Press journalists.
▶ Read more about the response in Ukraine to Trump's victory
Slovakia’s prime minister congratulates Trump on his victory
“We respect the choice of American people,” Prime Minister Robert Fico said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Fico, who is known for pro-Russian views, said the result of the election is “certainly a defeat of liberal and progressivist ideas because the new American President is a conservative. We think he’ll focus on the economy issues in the United States.”
Fico said what’s of importance is that “everybody is waiting for the first steps in regards of the war in Ukraine.”
Fico added that Trump might reduce or halt the military aid for Ukraine or propose an immediate cease-fire to open the way for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Fico ended his state’s military aid for Ukraine.
How are markets responding to the election results?
Futures markets in the U.S. surged early Wednesday, with the Dow climbing 2.85% and the S&P 500 rising nearly 2%.
Bitcoin, which many see as a winner under a Trump presidency, hit all-time highs above $75,000.
Tesla, the company run by Trump surrogate Elon Musk, spiked 12% before the opening bell while other electric vehicle makers slumped.
Banking stocks also moved solidly higher, with expectations of a pullback by regulators overseeing markets under Trump.
US humanitarian group urges Trump, Congress to ‘reject policies that demonize immigrants and asylum seekers’
The International Rescue Committee, a large humanitarian aid organization, urged the Trump administration to “continue America’s traditions of humanitarian leadership and care of the most vulnerable.”
The New York-based nonprofit also urged the new administration and Congress to “reject policies that demonize immigrants and asylum seekers,” and noted that the U.S. program to resettle refugees has saved lives and strengthened the fabric of the United States.
IRC is led by Britain’s former top diplomat, David Miliband, and says it provides relief services to people affected by crises in more than 40 countries.
Barriers broken and history made in several congressional races
With their victories, several candidates are set to be firsts.
New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat, won his race to become the first Korean American elected to the Senate.
Delaware State Rep. Sarah McBride, a Democrat, won her race to become the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. The former Obama administration official was elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 2021.
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks won her race and is set to become Maryland’s first Black senator. Alsobrooks is currently the county executive for Maryland’s Prince George’s County, one of the most prosperous Black-majority counties in the nation.
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat from Delaware, broke barriers again, becoming the first woman and first Black person elected to the Senate from the state. Seven years ago, when she was elected to the House, she was the first woman and first Black person to represent Delaware in the House. It will be the first time that two Black women will serve simultaneously in the Senate.
North Dakota elected its first woman to Congress. Republican Julie Fedorchak, running for the House of Representatives, won her race handily in the deep red state. She’s currently a member of the state’s public service commission.
Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Ohio,defeated incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown to be the first Latino from the state elected to the Senate.
Bitcoin hits new high as investors bet Trump’s victory will benefit cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin jumped nearly 8% to a record $75,345.00 in early trading on Wednesday, before falling back and was recently trading at around $73,700.00.
Trump was previously a crypto skeptic but changed his mind and embraced cryptocurrencies ahead of the election.
He pledged to make America "the crypto capital of the planet" and create a "strategic reserve" of bitcoin. His campaign accepted donations in cryptocurrency and he courted crypto fans at a bitcoin conference in July.
He also launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies.
Abortion proposals win in 7 states
Despite major losses for Democrats in the Senate and White House, the party’s central campaign issue surrounding protecting reproductive rights fared much better across the country as abortion rights advocates won on measures in seven states.
The last state to pass such a measure by early Wednesday was Montana, where abortion rights advocates pushed to enshrine abortion rights until fetal viability into the state constitution as a safeguard against future rollbacks. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say viability is sometime after 21 weeks.
In three others — Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota — voters rejected measures that would have created a constitutional right to abortion.
Montana enshrines abortion rights
Montana voters chose to protect the right to an abortion in their state constitution.
The ballot initiative sought to enshrine a 1999 Montana Supreme Court ruling that said the constitutional right to privacy protects the right to a pre-viability abortion by a provider of the patient’s choice. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say viability is sometime after 21 weeks.
The Associated Press declared the amendment was approved at 6:01 a.m. EST Wednesday.
Republican Ryan Zinke wins reelection to U.S. House in Montana’s 1st Congressional District
Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Montana on Wednesday.
Zinke will serve a second term in the western Montana district, which was drawn after the state received an additional congressional seat from the 2020 census. Zinke faced a rematch against Democrat Monica Tranel, who fell a few points short of winning the seat in 2022. Zinke was U.S. interior secretary in the Trump administration for nearly two years before resigning while facing several ethics investigations. Zinke served as Montana’s lone U.S. House member from 2015 through early 2017, when he resigned to become interior secretary. The Associated Press declared Zinke the winner at 6:28 a.m. EST.
Republican Tim Sheehy wins election to U.S. Senate from Montana, beating incumbent Jon Tester
Republican Tim Sheehy won the U.S. Senate seat in Montana on Wednesday, defeating three-term incumbent Jon Tester and flipping a closely watched Senate seat.
Tester was the only Democrat holding statewide office in Montana, which has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential contest since 1992. Sheehy, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, ran as a Trump-supporting conservative in a state where the president-elect is immensely popular. The Associated Press declared Sheehy the winner at 6:26 a.m. EST.
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