From Staff Reports

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, a Republican, on Nov. 5 rolled to a landslide — and upset – victory in his bid for the presidency over Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent.

Trump romped past Harris in both the national popular vote and the Electoral College vote as follows:

• Popular vote — Trump won 77,378,270 votes, or 50.01 percent, versus Harris’ 74,561,822 votes, or 48.3 percent.

• Electoral vote — Trump won 312 votes versus Harris’ 226 votes.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Trump won 2,897,756 votes, or 51.0 percent, versus Harris’ 2,714,229 votes, or 47.8 percent. Trump collected the state’s 16 electoral votes. 

Economist.com on Nov. 10 noted that Trump, 78, “improved on his 2020 vote share in nearly 90 percent of (U.S.) counties. He is likely to become the first Republican in 20 years to win the popular vote.”

The New York Post, which endorsed Trump’s run for the presidency, stated in a Nov. 10 story (headlined: “Trump clinches biggest popular vote count by a Republican ever as president-elect’s historic 2024 election win grows”):

“President-elect Donald Trump has nabbed the highest raw count of the popular vote of any Republican presidential hopeful ever, according to projections of the 2024 election...

“Republicans haven’t won the popular vote in a presidential contest since 2004, when President George W. Bush got 62 million votes.

“Ronald Reagan won 54 million votes in his landslide re-election in 1984 — when the country had 100 million fewer people than it does now.

“President Biden still has scored the largest raw count of the popular vote of any presidential contender in US history, with 81.3 million votes for him in 2020...

“Republicans have also recaptured the Senate and are within striking distance of retaining the House of Representatives.” (Since the N.Y. Post story appeared, officials have said the GOP also has clinched a slim majority in the House.)

His historic triumph in what was widely considered a toss-up race by most pollsters included a win in every one of the seven so-called “battleground states” that included (locally) North Carolina and Georgia. (The other “battleground states” where Trump prevailed were Pennsylvania, Michigan Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.) 

Regarding Trump’s stunning political comeback, USA Today reported on Nov. 7 the following:

“Impeached twice. Convicted of 34 felony counts. Ejected from the White House four years ago...

From Staff Reports 

 GREENVILLE, S.C.  — Voters in Upstate South Carolina showed heavy support for Donald Trump. a Republican, in his bid to be the next president and weighed in on their choices for U.S. House districts, referenda and several local races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Trump, who preceded Joe Biden as president, won the election in South Carolina with 1,483,747 votes, or 58.2 percent; while his opponent, Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, won 1,028,452 votes, or 40.4 percent.

Also as widely reported, not only did Trump easily capture South Carolina, he also won the presidency by a landslide in the national vote. 

In the popular vote nationally, Trump won 77,378,822 votes, or 50.01 percent, over Harris’ 74,561.822 votes or 48.3 percent.

In Electoral College voting, Trump won 312 votes, while Harris finished with 226 votes. Trump won nine electoral votes in South Carolina.

Among Upstate and statewide election results were the following:

• U.S. House District 3: Republican newcomer Sheri Biggs, who won 248,160  votes, or 71.8 percent, defeated Democrat newcomer Bryon Best, with 87,617 votes, or 25.3 percent. There was no incumbent, as U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan did not seek re-election.

• U.S. House District 4: GOP incumbent William Timmons, with 206,360 votes, or 59.3 percent, easily was re-elected over Democrat challenger Kathryn Harvey, with 128,630 votes, or 37.3 percent.

From Staff Reports 

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. —  The City of Travelers Rest is preparing to begin a more than $9 million renovation of a section of Poinsett Highway, Spartanburg television station WSPA reported on Nov. 7 and 8.

To that end, Travelers Rest city leaders held a meeting regarding a multimillion-dollar project to improve road conditions on the night of Nov. 7, Greenville TV station FOX Carolina reported later Nov. 7.

Specifically, the city plans to renovate the section from Hawkins Street to Center Street. It is estimated to cost TR about $9.2 million.

City officials said it allocted ARPA money that came from COVID and money from the city’s capital projects account. 

“Officials have spent a decade working on this plan,” FOX Carolina noted. “Officials said they hope to keep at least one lane of traffic open at all times.”

From Staff Reports

MAULDIN, S.C. —The Mauldin High School dance team, the Mavettes, will fly to New York City to perform in the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the Upstate Post & Courier reported on Nov 11.

The idea to participate in the nation’s second oldest Thanksgiving parade was raised by assistant coach Mary Belvin as the dance team rested in a cafeteria before the town Christmas parade a few years ago, the P&C noted, quoting Belvin as saying, "Wouldn't it be so cool if we were doing a parade in New York City?" 

The newspaper added, “Little did the dancers know that Belvin went home that night and searched: ‘How do you get into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade?’"