In 2012, Mitt Romney was convinced that white voters would turn out in droves for him and propel him to the White House. They didn’t. But so far, these voters have absolutely come out to the polls for Trump, swinging Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina to him—and overcoming minority-heavy cities like Cleveland, Miami, and Charlotte in the process. Trump had to shoot the moon and sweep all of these states. And so far he’s done that. “Mr. Brexit” remains a very stupid nickname, but so far this has stuck to the Brexit script.
The election is far from over. Clinton can pull out Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nevada and win this. But the real story of the night so far has been that Trump’s strategy, which was widely mocked for months, is working perfectly. Rural whites have come out for Trump and they’re swinging every key state to him. Clinton has yet to win a state that she needs, and Trump has yet to lose one. He can thank white voters for that.