Trump reclaims White Home | The Excerpt

On Wednesday’s episode of The Excerpt podcast (first launched on November 6, 2024): Former President Donald Trump will return to the Oval Workplace after profitable a number of essential battleground states. Discover the complete outcomes right here. USA TODAY Senior Nationwide Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire studies from Philadelphia on how Pennsylvania voters seen the candidates and the polarizing politics of their state. Republicans have gained management of the Senate. Individuals voted to guard abortion rights in a number of states, whereas a poll modification in Florida failed. USA TODAY Nationwide Information Reporter Lauren Villagran relays what some voters mentioned about their experiences on the polls.

Hit play on the participant under to listen to the podcast and observe together with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was routinely generated, after which edited for readability in its present type. There could also be some variations between the audio and the textual content.

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Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I am Taylor Wilson. Right this moment is Wednesday, November sixth, 2024. That is The Excerpt. Right this moment Donald Trump is on the cusp of election victory. What’s subsequent? Plus, we hear from the main battleground state of Pennsylvania, and Republicans win management of the Senate.

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It was an extended election night time, and poll counting continues, however as a 4:00 AM Jap time Republican nominee, Donald Trump is all however assured to return to the White Home. Trump gained North Carolina, Georgia, and the coveted prize of Pennsylvania, three essential swing states. Outcomes have been nonetheless too near name in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, although Trump held leads in all 4. Trump spoke to supporters with a victory speech that lasted some 25 minutes nicely after 2:00 AM Jap time on the Palm Seashore Conference Middle in Florida. Echoing feedback he made on the marketing campaign path, Trump credited his “political motion” for profitable a second time period in workplace.

Donald Trump:

We made historical past for a purpose tonight, and the reason being going to be simply that. We overcame obstacles that no person thought potential. It’s now clear that we have achieved probably the most unimaginable political factor. Look what occurred. Is that this loopy? However it’s a political victory that our nation has by no means seen earlier than, nothing like this. I need to thank the American individuals for the extraordinary honor of being elected your forty seventh president and your forty fifth president.

Taylor Wilson:

In the meantime, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris didn’t see the form of assist she had hoped for, and he or she determined to not deal with supporters gathered at Howard College in Washington, D.C. for her election night time get together. She plans as a substitute to deal with voters later this morning.

Trump’s late-night win in Pennsylvania got here after many anticipated we’d have to attend longer to know a winner within the Keystone State, and it was seen by many as a should win for both candidate with the intention to win the White Home. USA TODAY nationwide correspondent Sarah D. Wire was on the bottom in Philadelphia to place a few of what she noticed in context. Sarah, thanks a lot for hopping on throughout this election night time.

Sarah D. Wire:

Thanks for having me.

Taylor Wilson:

So Sarah, simply inform us the place you are becoming a member of me from and set the scene for us in the event you would. How easily did issues run there on election day?

Sarah D. Wire:

So proper now I am standing outdoors of Philadelphia’s central poll rely location. It is a warehouse on the outskirts of town. In Pennsylvania, as soon as they begin counting, they don’t seem to be allowed to cease, so it may be going right here 24 hours a day till they’re carried out. What we’re listening to from election officers, particularly out right here in Philadelphia, is that issues for probably the most half ran very easily. The hiccup has been a sequence of bomb threats throughout the state and likewise throughout the nation. It appeared to have are available by e mail and closed down some polling places for a couple of half an hour, and town was capable of reopen these places and stored them open late.

Taylor Wilson:

Yeah, so I need to hear extra about these threats. What else have we realized there, Sarah, and simply how large of a headache did this create on the day?

Sarah D. Wire:

It looks as if what we’re listening to is that they got here in by means of e mail and that each one these counties have been very nicely ready. That they had regulation enforcement lined as much as reply, and they also have been capable of shut places and reopen them inside a really quick time span. They do not consider it impacted turnout broadly, however actually, anytime you have got a polling place closed, you have obtained an inconvenience that is created. Some individuals may not transfer to a different polling location. They may not come again.

Taylor Wilson:

You talked about turnout, Sarah. We do not anticipate ultimate outcomes for a while, however let’s discuss voter turnout. How large was it in Pennsylvania?

Sarah D. Wire:

We do not have actual figures but, however realistically, it is wanting like one other banner yr for elections in Pennsylvania. The turnout numbers appear to be very giant, and the vote-by-mail poll returns gave the impression to be increased than they have been even anticipating.

Taylor Wilson:

Sarah, you frolicked this week with voters. What did you be taught there? What points did of us appear to actually care about, and what has it been like for them residing on this deeply divided political panorama?

Sarah D. Wire:

A whole lot of the voters I talked to fell alongside the identical partisan traces that we have been listening to all through this election. It is the economic system. It is immigration. There are numerous Harris supporters. It got here right down to abortion rights and ladies’s healthcare, however we additionally heard rather a lot about the way forward for the nation and the rhetoric they need to be listening to for the subsequent 4 years. Pennsylvania has gotten used to being a battleground in the previous couple of years. They do not maintain individuals’s political decisions in opposition to each other. Individuals do not punish their neighbors for the way they voted, however even people who find themselves used to this are saying it may be arduous to come back again from this election and are available again collectively as a rustic.

Taylor Wilson:

Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY’s senior nationwide political correspondent, becoming a member of us from Philadelphia. Thanks, Sarah.

Sarah D. Wire:

Thanks for having me.

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Taylor Wilson:

As for the Senate race, Republicans have formally gained management reliably flipping West Virginia, a seat that was vacated by Democratic-turned impartial Senator Joe Manchin, who retired from the bulk Republican state after which claiming victory over a hotly contested seat in Ohio with Republican candidate Bernie Moreno edging out Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. Odds have favored the GOP this whole election cycle, with the entire best races in states represented by susceptible democratic senators. The race for the home stays too near name presently, with dozens of aggressive races nonetheless uncalled.

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One large challenge this election cycle was abortion. In 2022, the Democrats have been capable of impress voters throughout the nation to come back to the polls to solid their vote in favor of abortion entry. How a lot of a driver the difficulty was for voters in 2024 is but to be seen, however a number of states, together with Florida, had poll measures that might’ve enshrined abortion rights for its residents. However Florida’s measure, Modification 4, failed after not assembly the 60% threshold it wanted to cross. On the opposite facet, measures to guard abortion rights did cross in Arizona, Maryland, and New York. How the difficulty impacted voter turnout is one thing pollsters and USA TODAY reporters might be carefully watching within the days to come back.

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Dealing with a barrage of robocalls, political adverts, and marketing campaign outreach that some mentioned felt like overreach, many pushed previous election fatigue and headed out to the polls. My colleague, Dana Taylor, spoke with USA TODAY nationwide information reporter Lauren Villagran about how some Individuals felt as they solid their votes.

Dana Taylor:

It is good to have you ever on, Lauren.

Lauren Villagran:

Hey, Dana.

Dana Taylor:

Have been American voters optimistic as they headed to the polls yesterday, or was it extra of a blended bag?

Lauren Villagran:

Yeah, I’d say it was a blended bag. USA TODAY had reporters fanned out throughout the nation, particularly in swing states, locations like Reno, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Atlanta, key cities in key states, and throughout the nation we noticed numerous optimism. There have been lengthy traces at polls even earlier than the polls opened yesterday on Tuesday. Thousands and thousands of Individuals had already voted by way of mail-in poll or in early voting alternatives. So it is clearly been a historic time within the nation.

Dana Taylor:

You highlighted a number of first-time voters. What was this expertise like for them?

Lauren Villagran:

Yeah, there have been first-time voters, many who confirmed as much as the polls. Our reporters met, for instance, Tyler Hilliard, who’s an 18-year-old in Nevada who went to vote together with his dad. He was there earlier than 7:00 AM yesterday and simply mentioned he felt proud. Ballot staff gave him a first-time voter certificates, and people on the polls clapped for him.

Dana Taylor:

You additionally wrote about Nevada’s 90,000 tribal voters. Nevada was a coveted swing state this yr. What impression did which have on their choice to vote?

Lauren Villagran:

USA TODAY reporter Trevor Hughes was in Reno, Nevada, the place he met a husband-wife, workforce Ayana Isham, and her husband, Kendell Isham, each 25 years outdated. They solid their ballots at Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada. Ayana mentioned that rising up on the reservation, that numerous occasions of us mentioned that they did not consider their vote counted, and he or she was there to say that she believed that her vote is basically essential. There have been of us throughout swing states, Dana, who have been keenly conscious that each single vote, particularly in these states, was going to rely towards the result of this election.

Dana Taylor:

Lauren, we have talked rather a lot this yr about how politics have divided the nation. One of many candidates was the goal of two assassination makes an attempt. What function did that play?

Lauren Villagran:

USA TODAY reporter Phillip Bailey was within the area in North Carolina, the place he met voter Laura Lindsay of Harrisburg. She’s been a longtime Trump supporter, however her husband is a registered impartial and wasn’t planning on voting for former president Donald Trump till the primary assassination try. That second when Trump raised his fist and there was blood round his ear, that basically moved her husband, they usually each solid their ballots, and he modified his thoughts and voted for Trump in North Carolina, one other swing state.

Dana Taylor:

The massive query on everybody’s thoughts is whether or not voters will settle for the result of the election. Did you get a way of which means individuals are leaning?

Lauren Villagran:

Of us who reporters spoke with on the polls leaned in the direction of saying they have been going to just accept the outcomes. There have been some who would repeat what we have all typically heard on the marketing campaign path, significantly from Trump supporters, that if the election is form of “truthful and free,” they may settle for the outcomes. There are Republicans who mentioned they have been nervous Democrats would not settle for the outcomes if Harris loses, and Democrats who mentioned they have been involved that Republicans will not settle for the outcomes if Trump loses. In order we head into right this moment and tomorrow and proceed to attend for the outcomes of this election, I believe how Individuals in the end settle for whether or not the election was free and truthful is basically going to be one thing that is going to evolve this week.

Dana Taylor:

Lauren, thanks a lot for being on The Excerpt.

Lauren Villagran:

Thanks, Dana.

Taylor Wilson:

You may learn extra on what voters shared about their expertise on the polls yesterday with a hyperlink in right this moment’s present notes. For extra election outcomes and information all through the day and week, stick with usatoday.com and proper right here on The Excerpt.

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If you happen to’re one of many tens of millions who’re followers of books and are in search of non-election-related information, we’ve an ideal episode coming for you this afternoon about bookstores. Bob Manson is a retired trainer from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and he is additionally a brilliant fan of impartial bookstores, a lot in order that he has now visited over 600 of them throughout the nation. He joins my co-host Dana Taylor to debate his travels and why he finds impartial bookstores so inspiring. Discover it this afternoon, starting at 4:00 PM Jap Time proper right here on The Excerpt.

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Thanks for listening to The Excerpt. You will get the podcast wherever you get your pods, and in the event you’re on a wise speaker, simply ask for The Excerpt. I am Taylor Wilson, and I will be again tomorrow with extra of The Excerpt from USA TODAY.