2016 United States presidential election

The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial x|American presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The x|Democratic ticket of Michigan Governor Henry Williamson and U.S. Senator from North Carolina Alexandra Damon defeated the x|Republican ticket of Georgia Governor Sharon Paul and U.S. Senator from Arizona Carter Marsh. Williamson took office as President, and Damon as Vice President, on January 20, 2017.

Williamson won the Democratic primary after defeating his running mate Damon in a close race, while Paul narrowly clinched the nomination in the later stages of the Republican primary amongst a wider field of candidates. Williamson ran a campaign focused on x|national unification, the advancement of x|racial, x|women's, and x|LGBT rights, x|social and economic liberalism, and his ability to appeal to x|blue-collar workers, while Paul focused on "x|traditionalism", x|family values, x|immigration reform, and x|economic freedom.

Prior to election, Williamson held a hefty lead in polling, especially in key states in the x|Rust Belt and x|Southeastern United States. Williamson's win was considered unsurprising, and many political commentators classified Paul as a weak candidate, and Williamson's selection of Damon as his as one of the key winning strategies. Ultimately, Williamson received 324 electoral votes to Paul's 214. Williamson carried 26 states, x|Washington, D.C., and x|Nebraska's x|2nd congressional district, while Paul carried 24 states.