Key moments of the 2024 campaign in photos

CBS News projected early Wednesday that Donald Trump will beryllium nan president elect, ending a chaotic and unprecedented 2024 statesmanlike race.

From President Biden's abrupt exit, Vice President Kamala Harris' precocious introduction and 2 assassination attempts against erstwhile President Donald Trump, nan way to this Election Day was historic.

Here are immoderate cardinal moments from nan campaign: 

Trump's blameworthy verdict

Trump walks retired of tribunal and toward nan media pursuing nan verdict successful his hush money proceedings successful New York connected May 30, 2024. Mark Peterson/New York Magazine via AP, Pool

Trump was recovered blameworthy successful May 2024 of 34 felonies by nan assemblage successful his hush money proceedings successful New York City, becoming nan first erstwhile American president successful history to beryllium convicted of a crime. He was convicted for allegedly falsifying business records successful an effort to hide a $130,000 payment to nan big movie prima Stormy Daniels anterior to nan 2016 election. 

Trump has denied nan allegations and maintained his innocence. Addressing nan proceedings aft nan verdict came down, Trump called nan business "very unfair" and "rigged."

DeSantis drops out

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters during a caucus nighttime party, Jan. 15, 2024, successful West Des Moines, Iowa, while pursuing his statesmanlike campaign. Charlie Neibergall / AP

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had entered nan race caller disconnected a astir 20-point triumph successful nan Florida's governor's title successful 2020, and had looked for illustration nan early for nan party. But he ended his Republican statesmanlike campaign up of nan New Hampshire superior successful January, pursuing his significant nonaccomplishment to Trump successful nan Iowa caucuses. 

Nikki Haley suspends her statesmanlike campaign 

Republican statesmanlike campaigner and erstwhile U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley walks disconnected shape aft announcing nan suspension of her statesmanlike run astatine her run office connected March 06, 2024 successful Daniel Island, South Carolina.  Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Hours aft winning conscionable 1 authorities — Vermont — connected Super Tuesday, nan past remaining Republican successful nan race, erstwhile United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, suspended her campaign. Her dropping retired cleared nan way for Trump to get nan nomination. Exit polls showed Trump starring Haley among wide segments of nan GOP electorate, pinch voters saying migration and nan system were their astir important issues. 

Haley stopped short of endorsing Trump, and later erstwhile asked by Margaret Brennan connected "Face nan Nation pinch Margaret Brennan" if she thought Trump was a "good candidate," Haley said "I deliberation he is nan Republican nominee." 

Biden's fumbling statement performance

U.S. President Joe Biden walks disconnected shape during nan CNN Presidential Debate astatine nan CNN Studios connected June 27, 2024 successful Atlanta, Georgia.  Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Mr. Biden struggled done the first statesmanlike debate against Trump successful June, speaking successful a hoarse voice and astatine times appearing to suffer his train of thought while answering questions. Officials successful Mr. Biden's campy later attributed nan president's lackluster capacity to a cold, which they said he'd had for respective days, but Americans and immoderate authorities leaders questioned whether nan statement was a motion nan 81-year-old leader would not beryllium fresh capable to service a 2nd term.

The Butler assassination attempt

Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents astatine a run rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania, connected July 13, 2024, wherever a shooter opened occurrence into nan crowd. Evan Vucci / AP

While Mr. Biden faced mounting pressures to extremity his reelection run aft nan debate, Trump was shot while speaking to a crowd of supporters from nan podium of his July rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania. The assassination effort against nan erstwhile president yet killed 1 spectator astatine nan rally and critically injured 2 others, and yet led nan now-former head of nan Secret Service to resign from her post. A slug pierced Trump's receptor erstwhile nan shooter opened occurrence onto nan crowd, and Secret Service agents quickly rushed him from nan stage.

Biden exits nan race

Screens astatine nan Fox News office successful New York City show news reports announcing Biden dropped retired of nan statesmanlike title connected Sunday, July 21, 2024. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mr. Biden announced his determination to drop retired of nan statesmanlike race connected July 21, astatine nan aforesaid clip endorsing Harris for nan Democratic nomination.

"While it has been my volition to activity reelection, I judge it is successful nan champion liking of my statement and nan state for maine to guidelines down and to attraction solely connected fulfilling my duties arsenic president for my term," he posted in a connection connected societal media. "My very first determination arsenic nan statement nominee successful 2020 was to prime Kamala Harris arsenic my Vice President. And it's been nan champion determination I've made. Today I want to connection my afloat support and endorsement for Kamala to beryllium nan nominee of our statement this year. Democrats — it's clip to travel together and hit Trump. Let's do this." 

Harris launches her statesmanlike campaign

Harris speaks astatine her run office successful Wilmington, Del., Monday, July 22, 2024. Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool

Harris officially launched her run July 21, soon aft Mr. Biden announced his determination to extremity his. The vice president's introduction into nan into nan title pursuing his withdrawal revitalized nan power of their party, pinch Harris' run raising hundreds of millions successful its first week and drafting a medley of endorsements from nan nation's apical Democrats.

"I americium honored to person nan president's endorsement and my volition is to gain and triumph this nomination," Harris said successful a connection announcing her campaign. "Over nan past year, I person traveled crossed nan country, talking pinch Americans astir nan clear prime successful this momentous election. And that is what I will proceed to do successful nan days and weeks ahead. 

Brat summer

"Brat summer" helped jumpstart Harris' statesmanlike campaign. CBS News

Two days aft Mr. Biden bowed retired and Harris' bid emerged, nan societal media relationship connected X antecedently dedicated to nan president's reelection pursuit transformed to attraction alternatively connected her campaign. The modulation was marked by a neon greenish banner astatine nan apical of nan societal media floor plan bearing nan title "kamala hq." Its style and format imitated nan screen of "Brat," nan medium by British popular prima Charli XCX whose then-recent viral tweet — "Kamala IS brat" — swept nan Internet and sparked a frenzy of memes that seemed to prosecute Gen Z voters successful a promising caller way. 

Harris supporters began to show up astatine rallies dressed successful trademark green 

"You deliberation you conscionable fell retired of a coconut tree?"

A position of a Scoop The Vote flier and Ben's Best Kamala's Coconut Jubilee, arsenic Ben & Jerry's participated successful a get-out-the-vote arena for Harris successful Philadelphia connected September 16, 2024. Lisa Lake/Getty Images for MoveOn

With nan detonation of "brat"-themed merchandise and viral videos linked to Harris's run came different Internet trend, stemming from a reside wherever nan Democratic nominee recalled thing her mother utilized to opportunity to her.

"'I don't cognize what's incorrect pinch you young people. You deliberation you conscionable fell retired of a coconut tree?'" Harris said, quoting her mother. "You beryllium successful nan discourse of each successful which you unrecorded and what came earlier you." 

TikTok edits incorporating nan "coconut tree" clip and elements from nan Charli XCX medium became enormously popular, and galore felt nan swarm of attraction from young group antecedently unhappy pinch nan predetermination prospects helped kickstart nan momentum of Harris' bid.

JD Vance becomes nan Republican vice statesmanlike nominee

Republican vice statesmanlike campaigner Sen. JD Vance waves arsenic Trump pumps his fist astatine a run rally connected Saturday, July 27, 2024, successful St. Cloud, Minn. Alex Brandon / AP

Trump announced Sen. JD Vance of Ohio arsenic his vice statesmanlike moving mate successful July, earlier accepting nan Republican statesmanlike information astatine nan party's normal successful Milwaukee.

"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering nan tremendous talents of galore others, I person decided that nan personification champion suited to presume nan position of Vice President of nan United States is Senator J.D. Vance of nan Great State of Ohio," Trump said successful a societal media post.

Harris chooses Gov. Tim Walz arsenic her moving mate

Democratic vice statesmanlike nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks astatine a run rally astatine nan University of Nevada, Las Vegas connected Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. Jae Hong / AP

Harris announced she'd chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arsenic her vice statesmanlike moving mate successful August.

"One of nan things that stood retired to maine astir Tim is really his convictions connected fighting for mediate people families tally deep. It's personal," Harris wrote connected societal media erstwhile she unveiled her pick.

"He grew up successful a mini municipality successful Nebraska, spending summers moving connected his family's farm," nan station continued. "His begetter died of crab erstwhile he was 19, and his family relied connected Social Security subsister use checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted successful nan National Guard, serving for 24 years. He utilized his GI Bill benefits to spell to college, and go a teacher. He served arsenic some nan shot coach and nan advisor of nan Gay-Straight Alliance."

Second evident assassination attempt

A rule enforcement serviceman walks successful beforehand of a motion for erstwhile President Donald Trump's Trump International Golf Course successful West Palm Beach, Florida, aft shots were fired Sept. 15, 2024. Reuters/Marco Bello

In September, a man was taken into custody aft pointing a high-powered firearm astatine nan Florida people wherever Trump was playing golf. Secret Service agents said astatine nan clip they had engaged pinch nan fishy and, pinch nan man's arrest, opened an investigation into nan incident that FBI officials called an evident attempted assassination of nan erstwhile president. 

A national expansive assemblage successful Miami indicted Ryan Wesley Routh Tuesday connected a complaint of attempting to termination Trump connected Sept. 15. 

Harris and Trump's first, and only, debate

In this image released connected Friday, October, 18, 2024, a personification successful Washington, D.C., stops to watch a surface displaying nan statesmanlike statement betwixt Harris and Trump. Democracy News Alliance/news aktuell via AP Images / AP

Trump and Harris sparred successful a contentious statesmanlike debate successful Philadelphia successful September. The debate, hosted by ABC, saw nan 2 candidates slashing complete cardinal issues for illustration abortion rights, immigration, nan system and overseas policy.

"They're eating nan dogs ... they're eating nan cats"

Wilda Brooks of West Palm Beach, Fla., holds up a motion reference "We don't eat pets," during a rally by members of South Florida's Haitian-American organization to condemn dislike reside and misinformation astir Haitian immigrants connected Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. Rebecca Blackwell / AP

Among a medley of blatant falsehoods and baseless claims made by Trump during his statement against Harris was 1 that stood retired from nan rest. While speaking astir immigration, nan erstwhile president repeated a communicative that had been circulating connected societal media that alleged, confusingly, that Haitian migrants successful Springfield, Ohio, were abducting and eating people's pets. 

Trump, Vance and others had already amplified those rumors anterior to nan debate, wherever Trump doubled down, saying: "In Springfield, they're eating nan dogs — nan group that came in, they're eating nan cats. They're eating — they're eating nan pets of nan group that unrecorded location and this is what's happening successful our country, and it's a shame." 

In response, ABC "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir told Trump during nan statement that metropolis officials successful Springfield disputed nan claims.

Racist Madison Square Garden rally draws outcry 

Tony Hinchcliffe speaks astatine Trump's run rally astatine Madison Square Garden connected Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, successful New York City. Evan Vucci / AP

As nan statesmanlike title neared a adjacent astatine nan extremity of October, Trump held a run rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City and vowed to triumph his location authorities successful nan election. He didn't, and nan run arena itself drove a activity of disapproval aft his impermanent speakers gave remarks that were riddled pinch offensive, racist comments. In portion of nan opening remarks that received important backlash, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico arsenic a "floating land of garbage" successful his speech.

Trump's garbage motortruck stunt

Trump holds a property convention from wrong trash hauler astatine Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport connected October 30, 2024 successful Green Bay, Wisconsin. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

As some Trump and Harris' campaigns zeroed successful connected cardinal battlegrounds successful nan lead-up to nan Election Day, nan Republican nominee addressed reporters successful Green Bay, Wisconsin, while wearing a building vest from behind nan instrumentality of a garbage truck that was emblazoned pinch his run slogan.

The stunt, he said, was crafted "in grant of Kamala and Joe Biden" aft Mr. Biden appeared to telephone Trump's supporters "garbage," though nan White House and Mr. Biden clarified that remark was astir nan Madison Square Garden rally comedian. 

Voters move retired successful grounds numbers

People statement up to ballot extracurricular Allegiant Stadium, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, successful Las Vegas. John Locher / AP

Polling stations crossed nan state person seen record-breaking turnout from voters successful this election, pinch much than 78 cardinal people casting ballots early, including much than 40 cardinal who voted successful person. 

Trump was photographed pinch erstwhile first woman Melania Trump connected Election Day, aft they voted astatine nan Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center successful Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump wins nan presidency

Trump greets Vance astatine an predetermination nighttime watch statement astatine nan Palm Beach Convention Center successful West Palm Beach, Fla. Evan Vucci / AP

Trump defeated Harris to go nan 47th president of nan United States, CBS News projected early Wednesday morning. He received support connected Election Day from aggregate battleground states, which would person been captious to either campaigner successful bid to win.

"I want to convey nan American group for nan bonzer grant of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president," Trump said astatine his predetermination office successful Florida connected Wednesday, declaring victory. "And each citizen, I will conflict for you, for your family and for your future. Every azygous day, I will beryllium fighting for you pinch each activity successful my body."

In:
• JD Vance
• Tim Walz
• Joe Biden
• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump
• 2024 Elections