A presidential campaign unlike any other ends on Tuesday. Here’s how we got here

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s nan predetermination that nary 1 could person foreseen.

Not truthful agelong ago, Donald Trump was marinating successful self-pity astatine Mar-a-Lago aft being impeached doubly and voted retired of nan White House. Even immoderate of his closest friends were looking guardant to a early without nan charismatic yet erratic billionaire starring nan Republican Party, particularly aft his grounded effort to overturn an predetermination ended successful unit and shame. When Trump announced his comeback bid 2 years ago, nan New York Post buried nan article connected page 26.

At nan aforesaid time, Kamala Harris was languishing arsenic a low-profile sidekick to President Joe Biden. Once seen arsenic a rising prima successful nan Democratic Party, she struggled pinch some her floor plan and her portfolio, disappointing her supporters and delighting her critics. No 1 was talking astir Harris moving for nan apical occupation — they were wondering if Biden should switch her arsenic his moving mate erstwhile he sought a 2nd term.

But connected Tuesday, improbable arsenic it whitethorn person seemed before, Americans will choose either Trump aliases Harris to service arsenic nan adjacent president. It’s nan last section successful 1 of nan astir bewildering, unpredictable and consequential sagas successful governmental history. For once, nan connection “unprecedented” has not been overused.

“If personification had told you up of clip what was going to hap successful this election, and you tried to waste it arsenic a book, nary 1 would judge it,” said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster pinch much than 4 decades of experience. “It’s energized nan state and it’s polarized nan country. And each we tin dream is that we travel retired of it amended successful nan end.”

History was and will beryllium made. The United States has ne'er elected a president who has been convicted of a crime. Trump survived not one but two assassination attempts. Biden dropped out successful nan mediate of an predetermination twelvemonth and Harris could go the first female president. Fundamental tenets astir democracy successful nan astir powerful federation connected world will beryllium tested for illustration nary clip since nan Civil War.

And that’s not to mention nan backdrop of simultaneous conflicts successful Europe and nan Middle East, hacking by overseas governments, an progressively normalized blizzard of misinformation and nan friendly engagement of nan world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

For now, nan only point nan state tin work together connected is that nary 1 knows really nan communicative will end.

Trump rebounded from ugliness to nan Republican nomination

Republicans could person been vanished pinch Trump aft Jan. 6, 2021.

That’s nan time he fired up his supporters pinch mendacious claims of elector fraud, directed them to march connected nan U.S. Capitol while Congress was ceremonially certifying Biden’s predetermination victory, and past stood by arsenic rioting threatened lawmakers and his ain vice president.

But not capable Republicans joined pinch Democrats to convict Trump successful an impeachment trial, clearing a way for him to run for agency again.

Trump started readying a comeback moreover arsenic immoderate leaders successful his statement hoped he would beryllium eclipsed by Ron DeSantis, nan Florida governor, aliases Nikki Haley, nan erstwhile South Carolina politician who served arsenic Trump’s ambassador to nan United Nations.

In nan twelvemonth aft Trump announced that he would tally against Biden, he faced criminal charges 4 times. Two of nan indictments were connected to his attempts to overturn his predetermination defeat. Another progressive his refusal to return classified documents to nan national authorities aft leaving office. Trump has pleaded not blameworthy to each nan charges, and nary of those cases person been resolved.

However, a 4th indictment successful New York led to Trump becoming nan first president successful U.S. history to beryllium criminally convicted. A assemblage recovered him blameworthy connected May 30 of falsifying business records complete hush money payments to a porn prima who claimed they had an affair.

None of it slowed Trump, who practically ignored his opponents during nan superior arsenic he barreled toward nan Republican statesmanlike nomination. A mugshot from 1 of his arrests was adopted by his followers arsenic a awesome of resisting a corrupt system.

Trump’s candidacy capitalized connected anger complete inflation and frustration astir migrants crossing nan confederate border. He besides hammered Biden arsenic too aged for nan job moreover though he’s only 4 years younger than nan president.

But Democrats besides thought Biden, 81, would beryllium amended disconnected considering status than a 2nd term. So erstwhile Biden struggled done a statesmanlike debate connected June 27 — losing his train of thought, appearing confused, stammering done answers — he faced escalating unit wrong his statement to driblet retired of nan race.

As Biden faced a governmental crisis, Trump went to an outdoor rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania connected July 13. A young man evaded police, climbed to nan apical of a adjacent building and fired respective shots pinch a semiautomatic rifle.

Trump grabbed astatine his receptor and dropped to nan stage. While Secret Service agents crowded astir him, he lurched to his feet pinch a streak of humor crossed his face, thrust his fist successful nan aerial and shouted “fight, fight, fight!” An American emblem billowed overhead.

It was an instantly iconic moment. Trump’s way to nan White House seemed clearer than ever — possibly moreover inevitable.

Harris gets an unexpected opportunity astatine redemption

The vice president was getting fresh to do a puzzle pinch her nieces connected nan greeting of July 21 erstwhile Biden called. He had decided to end his reelection bid and endorse Harris arsenic his replacement.

She spent nan remainder of nan time making dozens of telephone calls to statement up support, and she had capable to secure nan nomination wrong 2 days.

It was a startling reversal of fortune. Harris had flamed out erstwhile moving for president 4 years earlier, dropping retired earlier nan first Democratic superior contest. Biden resuscitated her governmental profession by choosing her arsenic his moving mate, and she became nan first woman, Black personification and personification of South Asian descent to service arsenic vice president.

But Harris’ struggles did not extremity there. She fumbled questions astir immigration, oversaw wide turnover successful her agency and faded into nan inheritance alternatively than usage her historical position arsenic a platform.

All of that started to alteration connected June 24, 2022, erstwhile the U.S. Supreme Court overturned nan nationwide correct to abortion enshrined by Roe v. Wade. Harris became nan White House’s apical advocator connected an rumor that reshaped American politics.

She besides proved to beryllium much nimble than before. Shortly aft returning from a weeklong travel to Africa, her squad orchestrated a spur-of-the-moment task to Nashville truthful Harris could show support for 2 Tennessee lawmakers who had been expelled for protesting for weapon control.

Meanwhile, Harris was networking pinch section politicians, business leaders and taste figures to summation ideas and build connections. When Biden dropped out, she was amended positioned than galore realized to prehend nan moment.

The time aft she became nan candidate, Harris jetted to Wilmington, Delaware to sojourn run headquarters. Staff members had spent nan greeting printing “Kamala” and “Harris for President” signs to portion up adjacent to obsolete “Biden-Harris” posters.

There were 106 days until nan extremity of nan election.

The conflict betwixt Trump and Harris will reshape nan country

While speaking to run unit successful Wilmington, Harris utilized a statement that has go a mantra, chanted by supporters astatine rallies crossed nan country. “We are not going back,” she declared.

It’s a fitting counterpoint to Trump’s slogan, “make America awesome again,” which he has wielded since launching his first run much than 8 years ago.

The 2 candidates person almost thing successful common, thing that was connected show connected Sept. 10, erstwhile Harris and Trump met for nan first clip for their only televised debate.

Harris promised to reconstruct abortion authorities and usage taxation breaks to support mini businesses and families. She said she would “be a president for each Americans.”

Trump took in installments for nominating nan justices that helped overturn Roe, pledged to protect nan U.S. system pinch tariffs and made mendacious claims astir migrants eating people’s pets. He called Harris “the worst vice president successful nan history of our country.”

Harris was wide viewed arsenic gaining nan precocious hand. Trump insisted he won but refused a 2nd debate. The title remained remarkably close.

Pundits and pollsters person spent nan last weeks straining to place immoderate displacement successful nan candidates’ chances. Microscopic changes successful nationalist sentiment could plaything nan result of nan election. It mightiness return days to count capable votes to find who wins.

The outcome, whenever it becomes clear, could beryllium conscionable different astonishment successful a run that’s been afloat of them.