What has been dubbed as the most contentious election in the history of the United States culminated Tuesday night with the massive upset victory of Republican Donald Trump.
What has been dubbed as the most contentious election in the history of the United States culminated Tuesday night with the massive upset victory of Republican Donald Trump.
The outspoken billionaire who set out nearly two years ago to “Make American Great Again ” sent the media into a frenzy and Hillary Clinton supporters into a spiral of shock, tears and fear of the unknown by around 8 p.m. MST with the polls showing key swing states Florida and Ohio were going red, paving his path to victory.
Reports indicate that Canada's immigration website crashed due to a massive increase in site traffic on election night.
His acceptance speech, which many Cochranites who stayed up past 1 a.m. Wednesday morning to tune into, was laden with messages of uniting the country and working for the people to ensure “the forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. ”
The upset victory was threefold - with Republicans taking both the Senate and the House, marking the 13th time in American history that a president has controlled all three branches of government.
Dicksey Higgins has lived in Canada more than 40 years, but was born in Michigan and raised in California.
“I think people spoke loud and clear that they're done with political correctness, corruption and they are ready for a huge change, ” said the Trump supporter who voted by mail-in ballot last month.
Higgins, who has aligned herself with presidents on both sides of the spectrum over the decades, said she has closely followed this election since the beginning and is confident Trump will preserve the second amendment; lower corporate taxes and boost the jobs market and boost industries such as coal and steel; retain the integrity of American ideals; and protect the borders by carefully vetting immigrants.
She is hopeful Trump will fulfil his promise to elect a new Supreme Court justice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia within his first 100 days in office.
Jessica Salkeld hails from Oklahoma and has lived in Cochrane for 11 years.
The dual citizen identifies herself as a “proud American, ” but following a lifelong alliance with the Republican party she jumped ship and became a registered Democrat this year and voted for Hillary Clinton.
“I'm disheartened, disgusted and concerned for what will happen now, ” said Salkeld, who said she is very worried for the safety of some of her friends and family and may have some members come to Canada to stay with her until the dust settles.
Salkeld said she is concerned about the negative effects Trump's win could have on Canada, as she doesn't have much faith in his plan to bring jobs back to America and is worried that Trump's “lack of experience in foreign policy ” will pose a threat to global security.
Banff-Cochrane Conservative MP Blake Richards stayed up into the wee hours to take in the upset Republican victory.
Richards said while it is too preliminary to determine the impacts this election may have on Canada, he did say that if Trump follows through with his commitment to the Keystone XL pipeline that it would be “a positive ” for Canada.
“I think it was clear that the result was based on a discontent by the people with the system, ” said Richards, adding that “the Canadian government will work with the new government to build a great trade relationship with the U.S. ”
Jake Hirsch is a California-born Cochranite of three years and a former resident of Texas who voted Democrat.
The “super liberal ” agent and producer for Yuk Yuk's Stand Up Comedy Club said he is still “in shock ” over the news.
“I understand people want change but I don't know that he will be the ambassador to do it, ” said Hirsch, who has a Latino background and said he identifies with the plight of immigrants.
