Donald Trump expected to become 47th President of the United States – Shelby County Reporter

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | editor

In one of the most polarizing political stories in history, Donald J. Trump will serve as the 47th President of the United States after receiving the required 270 electoral votes in the general election on Tuesday, November 5th.

As of 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, the race was forecast in Trump's favor by FOX News after he won the battleground states of Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to secure a lead over current Vice President Kamala Harris.

With the projected victory, the former president and new president will become only the second in history to serve two non-consecutive terms, joining Grover Cleveland.

“This was a movement like no one has ever seen before, and frankly I think this is the greatest political movement of all time,” Trump said as he addressed a large crowd in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday evening. “It will reach a new dimension.” Importance because we will help our country heal. We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very urgently.”

Trump expressed gratitude to the American people for giving him the chance to run for a second term, while pointing to the future and the fight he wants to wage for the people.

“We have overcome obstacles that no one thought possible and now it is clear that we have achieved the most incredible thing in politics,” he said. It is a political victory the likes of which our country has never seen before. I want to thank the American people for electing you your 45th and 47th Presidents. I will fight for you and your family and your future. Every day I will fight for you. I will not rest until we create the strong, secure, and prosperous America that our children and you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America.”

Trump was joined on stage by family and friends as he gave his victory speech, including JD Vance.

“I appreciate you allowing me to be a part of this incredible journey,” Vance said. “I appreciate the trust you have placed in me, and I think we just experienced the greatest political comeback in American political history. Under President Trump's leadership, we will never stop fighting for you. For your dreams, for your children’s future, and after the greatest political comeback in American history, we will lead the greatest economic comeback in American history.”

While statewide votes were still being tallied with the race tipped in his favor, Trump received 64.49 percent of the vote in Alabama, with all but St. Clair County reporting early Wednesday morning.

He received a total of 1,410,488 votes statewide, while Harris received 747,273 votes.

These numbers came from a total of 2,187,035 ballots cast in Tuesday's election.

As for Shelby County's numbers, residents of the county, considered one of the most conservative counties in the state, voted heavily for Trump, with 69.66 percent of county residents voting for him.

Ultimately, he received 75,501 votes out of 108,673.

Harris postponed her address to her supporters at Howard University in the early hours of Wednesday morning, delaying any concession from the presidency.

On the night, the Republican Party also won back the Senate, while it is likely that the party will also retain control of the House of Representatives.

The only other seat on the ballot in Shelby County that was contested and non-local was for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

Sarah Stewart, a Republican from Mobile, took the seat over Democratic candidate Greg Griffin

Stewart received 71.88 percent of the vote in Shelby County, or 77,146 votes, while she received 1,406,418 votes statewide.

Stewart is an associate justice on the Alabama Supreme Court and was elected to a six-year term as a Republican in November 2018. Prior to her appointment, she served as a district judge in Mobile for thirteen years and was the first female jury trial judge in the region.

She will now take over as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court for Tom Parker, who was unable to run for re-election due to age.