The American people voted and elected Donald Trump the 45^th president of the United States.

Trump, who has never held political office, was considered a long shot when he entered the race in June 2015. He managed to defeat 17 Republican challengers and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump immediately stirred controversy in his first speech as a candidate, when he called Mexicans rapists and announced plans to “build a wall” to prevent immigrants from entering America.

To his credit, Trump was able to single-handedly defeat every Republican challenger in the primaries. By May, only Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich remained in the race with Trump. On May 3, Cruz dropped out of the race followed by Kasich a day later.

Party leaders and other GOP candidates nearly unanimously underestimated Trump’s staying power. Some thought he would fail, some did not want to attack him, thinking they would scoop up his votes if he were ever defeated, but he never was.

Trump narrowly defeated Clinton in the key battleground state of Florida, which yielded 26 electoral votes.

In other considered battleground states Ohio, George, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, he also was victorious.

Despite never holding a political office before, Trump’s interest in politics is nothing new. In 2012, Trump said he kicked himself for not entering the political stage. He began planning a bid for the White House weeks after Mitt Romney lost the General Election to President Barack Obama.

Trump trademarked his campaign slogan, “Make American Great Again,” in November 2012.

Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.