<P> The United States presidential election of 2016 was the 58th quadrennial American presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 . In a surprise victory, the Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senator from Virginia Tim Kaine despite losing the plurality of the popular vote . Trump took office as the 45th President, and Pence as the 48th Vice President, on January 20, 2017 . Incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama was ineligible to be elected to a third term due to the term limits established by the 22nd Amendment . Concurrent with the presidential election, Senate, House, and many gubernatorial and state and local elections were also held on November 8 . </P> <P> Clinton secured the Democratic nomination after fending off a primary challenge from Senator Bernie Sanders . Amidst a wide Republican field, Trump emerged as the front - runner, defeating Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Jeb Bush and other candidates . Clinton ran on a platform of continuing and expanding President Obama's policies, emphasizing issues of racial, LGBT, and women's rights, and "inclusive capitalism"; whereas Trump promised to "Make America Great Again" by implementing a populist and nationalist agenda, opposing political correctness, illegal immigration, and many free - trade agreements . The tone of the general election campaign was widely characterized as divisive and negative, with both candidates beleaguered by controversy . Trump made numerous controversial remarks about race and immigration, was accused of inciting violence against protestors at his rallies, and faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct (which he denied), but was also able to garner extensive free media coverage . Clinton, whose public approval ratings had declined sharply since the end of her tenure as Secretary of State, was dogged by an FBI investigation of her improper use of a private email server, while her assertion that "half" of Trump's supporters were bigoted "deplorables" met with polarized reactions . Nevertheless, Clinton held the lead in nearly every pre-election nationwide poll and in most swing states . </P> <P> Voters selected members of the Electoral College in each state, in most cases by "winner - takes - all" plurality; those state electors in turn voted for a new president and vice president on December 19, 2016 . While Clinton received about 2.9 million more votes nationwide, a margin of 2.1%, Trump won 30 states with a total of 306 electors, or 57% of the 538 available . He won the three perennial swing states of Florida, Ohio, and Iowa, as well as the three "blue wall" stronghold states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin . He also won Maine's 2nd congressional district, which had not been won by a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 . Leading up to the election, a Trump victory was considered unlikely by almost all media forecasts . After his victory was assured, some commentators compared the election to President Harry S. Truman's victorious campaign in 1948 as one of the greatest political upsets in modern American history . </P> <P> In the Electoral College vote on December 19, seven electors voted against their pledged candidates: two against Trump and five against Clinton . A further three electors attempted to vote against Clinton but were replaced or forced to vote again . Ultimately, Trump received 304 electoral votes and Clinton garnered 227, while Colin Powell won three, and John Kasich, Ron Paul, Bernie Sanders, and Faith Spotted Eagle each received one . Trump is the fifth person in U.S. history to become president while losing the nationwide popular vote . He is the first president without any prior experience in public service or the military, as well as the wealthiest and the oldest at inauguration, while Clinton was the first woman to be the presidential nominee of a major American party . </P>

Who won the most states in the 2016 presidential election