Jubilant supporters of Donald Trump gathered in Florida on election night, ready to celebrate what they hoped would be a victory for the former president in the race for the White House.
Many anticipated that Trump would make an appearance at the event held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center after his campaign secured key wins.
The atmosphere was a mix of formality and fervor.
Men arrived in suits, while women wore dresses, mingling as they awaited news.
Among them was a particularly dedicated Trump fan who stood out in a leather vest emblazoned with Trump’s name.
While many in the crowd dressed formally, others opted for casual attire, united by one common accessory—Trump’s signature red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap.
“I feel like Trump has won this election.
This is over, and I feel like the world’s about to be much greater,” said 22-year-old Moses Abraham, confidently predicting a Trump victory.
The former president was edging closer to victory over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, leaving Harris with increasingly narrow chances to mount a successful comeback.
For some attendees, the night echoed the excitement of 2016.
“This is like 2016.
I feel that we are on the same path to win.
I feel very optimistic about tonight,” said Jo Ann Poly Calvo, a Trump supporter who believes the former president is the ideal leader for the nation.
‘No Faith in Her’
Florida, a southeastern state with a strong Republican base, has become almost a second home to Trump as he navigates legal challenges in his native New York.
His estate, Mar-a-Lago, is located in the state, where he resides and hosts events as part of his public and political life.
At the Palm Beach event, the crowd was a mix of anticipation and anxiety.
Some attendees expressed nervousness about the election outcome, given that Trump and Harris were neck and neck in opinion polls.
Yet, others exuded a sense of confidence that the night would end in Trump’s favor.
Among the crowd was Rocco Talarico, 68, who wore a "MAGA" hat and a leather vest with the words "Born to Ride" and “Donald Trump” emblazoned on it.
Talarico spoke passionately about why he thought Trump was the right choice for the nation.
“We need that because our country right now has no borders, our crime is bad, our stock market is bad, our gas and food prices are high.
Kamala (Harris) did nothing for four years,” he said, expressing frustration with the state of the country and his dissatisfaction with Harris’s performance.
Mike McCormack, 50, shared even stronger views on Harris, expressing mistrust in her ability to lead.
“I don’t feel Donald Trump could be outside influenced as much, and I strongly feel that Harris is actually owned and manipulated.
I have no faith in her,” he told AFP.
His words echoed a sentiment that Trump had often voiced during his campaigns: a mistrust of political influence and outside manipulation.
Doubts Over Poll Integrity
Concerns about the integrity of the polls were also on McCormack’s mind, something that Trump has consistently raised without evidence, pointing to a supposed conspiracy among his opponents to undermine his presidential aspirations.
“I have some confidence in this election (but) not a whole lot,” said McCormack.
“There has been some funny things going on.
There have been people arrested and convicted for voter fraud.
So I don’t know.”
His comment underscored a common sentiment among Trump supporters who question the reliability of the electoral process, pointing to incidents of voter fraud as evidence that the system is flawed.
As election night continued, the crowd’s excitement and optimism remained high, with many holding out hope that Trump would address them as the victorious candidate.
While the final outcome was still uncertain, Trump’s supporters in Florida were ready to celebrate, feeling that they were once again on the cusp of an unexpected political triumph.
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