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The Associated Press declared Republican Party candidate Donald J. Trump the winner of the 2024 U.S. presidential election early Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, after he cleared 270 electoral votes.

The AP wrote, “The win caps a historically tumultuous campaign that included two assassination attempts. Trump is the first person since Grover Cleveland to win non-consecutive presidential terms.”

Cleveland served as the United States’ 22nd president from 1885-89 and as its 24th president from 1893-97.

Trump, the 45th and 47th presidents of the U.S., won in 2016 and then lost in 2020 before making, in 2024, what the AP describes as “a remarkable political comeback rooted in appeal to frustrated voters.”

According to the AP as of Friday morning, Nov. 8, Trump had won 312 electoral votes compared to Democratic Party candidate Kamala D. Harris’ 226, and he had received 75,153,429 votes nationwide (50.3%) to Harris’ 71,894,343 votes (48.1%), with votes still being counted.

U.S. PRESIDENT

Though Trump won nationally, Harris carried Virginia.

All results cited for the remainder of this story are from the Virginia Department of Elections website as of Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 12, and were still considered unofficial. At least provisional ballots were still yet to be counted in the city of Franklin, Southampton County and Isle of Wight County.

Statewide in Virginia, Harris received 51.73% of the vote to Trump’s 46.17%.

In the city of Franklin, Harris received 60.72% of the vote to Trump’s 37.94%.

The VDE reported that voter turnout in Franklin was at 62%, with 3,834 ballots cast and 6,163 registered voters.

In Southampton County, Trump received 62.24% of the vote to Harris’ 36.77%.

The VDE reported that voter turnout in Southampton County was at 72%, with 9,770 ballots cast and 13,525 registered voters.

In Isle of Wight County, Trump received 59.52% of the vote to Harris’ 39.20%.

The VDE reported that voter turnout in Isle of Wight County was at 75%, with 24,394 ballots cast and 32,707 registered voters. 

In the 402 – Windsor Precinct, Trump received 1,327 votes (66.55%), and Harris received 645 votes (32.35%).

In the 501 – Walters Precinct, Trump received 722 votes (75.68%), and Harris received 223 votes (23.38%).

LOCAL ANALYSIS

Franklin City Democratic Committee Chairman Ricky L. Sykes said, “The outcome of the 2024 presidential election was a great disappointment for the Democrat Party, not just locally or on the state level, but for so many Americans all around the country.”

He said Democrats should come together as a party and ask some crucial questions. 

“We need to find out why some of the Democrats’ strongest base supporters did not support the party,” he said, “finding out what went wrong, what did the party do or not do, what changes needed to be implemented, what could have been done that wasn’t done, and what we need to do as a party to ensure we don’t ever lose our base support.”

He said that as chairman of the FCDC, he had the opportunity to speak with many citizens about the presidential election as it approached. 

“I will be honest with you: Most of the people that I spoke to about the upcoming election shared with me that they were voting for Kamala Harris for president,” he said. “However, most people felt Kamala Harris was not doing a good job campaigning about the things that were very important to people, like the economy (high prices for food, gasoline, inflation, community safety, etc.). Some people said she focused too much on the former president while evading the things she would do or how she would fix it. 

“I believe we should go back to the grassroots, finding the concerns and issues that are important locally and nationally to our base supporters,” he said. “At this point, I think we should unite and continue to work diligently to ensure we are listening to citizens’ needs and concerns.”

Franklin/Southampton Republican Committee Chairman Mark Kitchen said, “As far as the presidential election, ‘The people have spoken.’ I hope and pray that we can all put our differences aside and respect President Trump and his cabinet. Let’s drop the hateful rhetoric. 

“Is Trump a flawed man?” Kitchen said. “Yes, as am I, as we all are.”

In terms of the state-level elections, Kitchen said, “I feel there were great candidates, and other than the outrageous TV ads, they all represented their parties well. 

“I feel confident that Congresswoman Kiggans, as well as Sen. Kaine, will serve the populace well,” he said.

U.S. SENATE

Democrat Timothy M. Kaine defeated Republican Hung Cao in the race to represent Virginia in the U.S. Senate. 

Statewide, Kaine was elected to his third term after receiving 54.21% of the vote compared to Cao’s 45.61%.

In Franklin, Kaine received 63.46% of the vote to Cao’s 36.37%.

In Southampton County, Cao received 59.72% of the vote to Kaine’s 40.17%.

In Isle of Wight County, Cao received 58% of the vote to Kaine’s 41.92%.

In the 402 – Windsor Precinct, Cao received 1,277 votes (64.53%) to Kaine’s 701 votes (35.42%).

In the 501 – Walters Precinct, Cao received 691 votes (73.28%) to Kaine’s 251 votes (26.62%).

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

2ND DISTRICT

Republican Jen A. Kiggans defeated Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal in the race to represent Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Districtwide, Kiggans was reelected after receiving 50.96% of the vote compared to Smasal’s 46.73%.

In Franklin, Smasal received 57.22% of the vote to Kiggans’ 40.08%.

In Southampton County, Kiggans received 65.55% of the vote to Smasal’s 32.38%.

In Isle of Wight County, Kiggans received 60.53% of the vote to Smasal’s 37.35%.

In the 402 – Windsor Precinct, Kiggans received 1,317 votes (66.89%) to Smasal’s 606 votes (30.78%).

In the 501 – Walters Precinct, Kiggans received 714 votes (75.96%) to Smasal’s 215 votes (22.87%).

4TH DISTRICT

Democrat Jennifer L. McClellan defeated Republican William J. “Bill” Moher III in the race to represent Virginia’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representative.

Districtwide, McClellan was reelected after receiving 66.93% of the vote compared to Moher’s 32.85%.

In Southampton County, Moher received 56.10% of the vote to McClellan’s 43.84%.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

The proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot featured the following question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended so that the tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action is also available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty?

Statewide, the answer “Yes” received 93.04% of the vote, and “No” received 6.96%.

In Franklin, the answer “Yes” received 93.71% of the vote, and “No” received 6.29%.

In Southampton County, the answer “Yes” received 93.76% of the vote, and “No” received 6.24%.

In Isle of Wight County, the answer “Yes” received 92.85% of the vote, and “No” received 7.15%.

In the 402 – Windsor Precinct, the answer “Yes” received 1,785 votes (94.49%), and “No” received 104 votes (5.51%).

In the 501 – Walters Precinct, the answer “Yes” received 843 votes (91.53%), and “No” received 78 votes (8.47%).