On election night four years ago, Donald Trump was still the host and star of The Apprentice and the world had little notion of his ambitious political goals.
Today, he holds the title of president-elect.
Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States on Tuesday in a stunning win, a rapid rise from real estate mogul and reality TV star to the White House. The businessman won key states with victories in the battlegrounds of Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. But he was also able to sweep the south and the middle America to his advantage.
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Trump led the count for much of the night, clinching the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
The New York billionaire shrugged off Republican party discord, firing and hiring campaign managers, questionable conservative bona fides, numerous verbal gaffes, a murky tax history, and a leaked tape scandal to clinch the win—a final feat that completed an unlikely rise that will forever change the political landscape.
Indeed, it appears that chunks of the south and middle America embraced the billionaire as a “tell it like it is” populist despite his flaws. His campaign worked hard to cover those up the last few weeks, keeping Trump away from twitter and making sure he stuck to the script.