how did trump win the election
How Trump Won the Election According to Exit Polls. 1  Donald J. Trump won the election by consolidating support from white voters and making unexpected gains with minority groups. 2  Based on exit polls, Mr. Trump did significantly better than his predecessors among whites without college degrees. Whites with college degrees have favored Republicans in recent elections. They shifted toward Hillary Clinton in 2016, though Mr. Trump still won the group.