The morning after Americans elected as president a man regularly labeled a “Nazi,” a “fascist,” a “racist,” a “mortal threat to American democracy,” and the like by mainstream news outlets—even after he was nearly killed by one would-be assassin and seriously threatened by another—I received  a succinct summary of what had just happened from a long- time friend whose political views are thoughtful, considered, and often surprising: “This election restored my faith in the intelligence of the average American voter.”

Trump’s victory was broad, deep, and impressive. Despite the continuous attacks against him, Trump increased his percentage of the vote virtually everywhere and among virtually every demographic group.  Trump received 2 million more popular votes than Kamala Harris and 312 electoral votes to her 226. He won all the states he was expected to win and every battleground state, increased the GOP share of the vote in the remaining states, and carried enough Republican Senate candidates over the finish line to win control of that chamber. The heart of Trump’s support remained white Christians, but Trump won the election by bringing in more voters of every race, creed, class, and condition.

J. D. Vance turned out to be even more of a boon to Trump than I thought he might be. Vance’s intelligence, diligence, self-discipline, and energy were on regular display throughout the campaign, and they could not be hidden from voters despite an intense, albeit bizarre, media attempt to brand as “weird” a Marine vet who rose from poverty and chaos to graduate from Yale Law School, and who is also a husband, father, and churchgoer. Vance’s mere presence on the ticket reminded voters that America need not be governed by geriatrics, and showed that Trump had a plan to shape American politics for years to come. So thoroughly did Vance dominate his debate with his Democratic opponent, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, that “Saturday Night Live” took a break from Trump-bashing and featured Jim Gaffigan’s devastating imitation of the hapless Minnesotan.