PENNSYLVANIA, USA — President-elect Donald Trump had a decisive victory in Pennsylvania, as he claimed the battleground state in the early morning hours.
"This was supposed to be just a little gathering. There's a lot of people outside trying to get in," said Trump during his stop in Scranton in early October.
That show of support in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the key battleground state of Pennsylvania would aid in Trump's path to winning the White House.
"I was in the third row. I loved it, loved it. He was very gracious, yes," said Michelle Butchko of Scranton.
Butchko was at that October 9th rally in Scranton, held less than a month before Election Day. She and other Republicans in Lackawanna County say they're thrilled over Trump's decisive victory.
"I got up at 2:30, and he was doing his acceptance speech. I was thrilled," said Butchko.
"I said, 'Oh, thank you god'! My prayers have been answered", added Regina McAvoy of Scranton.
Ben Toll is an associate political science professor at Wilkes University. He says this election is historic, as Trump will become the 45th and 47th president of the United States.
"The only time this has ever happened before was Grover Cleveland, who was in the 1880s. He sat out for four years and became the president again after that. So it hasn't happened in about 120 years," explained Toll.
Toll says the voter turnout is especially noteworthy, with a lower turnout than in 2020.
"It really comes down to those simple ideas of what's going to effect me? What's going to impact my life? President Trump spoke to those concerns. He spoke to that discontent that people have. As a result, you see him overperforming in almost every single category," the political science professor added.
It's not only a Trump victory; Republicans also scored another major win last night, taking the majority in the Senate.
"For Democrats, their responsibility is to still be using their voice to pay attention, that they are still holding their elected representative accountable. For Republicans, there's a time to take a victory lap, to be happy about the outcome. But, now it's time to govern," said Toll.
As the country begins to look at what's next with a second Trump term.
"I hope the ugliness stops, and I hope people move forward," said Butchko.
President-Elect Trump addressed the nation in the early morning hours of Wednesday, saying, "I will fight for you, for your family, and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you, and with every breath in my body."