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Las Vegas visitors shocked by surprise election result

Pollsters and media also stunned
Posted at 5:57 PM, Nov 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-10 11:58:11-05

For some visitors to the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, the craziest thing that happened in Vegas was waking to the surprise news of Donald Trump's upset election win.

"I thought Hillary Clinton was going to win," said one visitor from Tennessee, although she says living in the South most there thought Trump would win.

The election stunned many people, including pollsters and the media -- who simply called it wrong.  In many parts of country, especially the "left coast" and the East Coast, many simply assumed Clinton would win.

"Everyone hated Trump in New York," said one visitor from Brooklyn. 

She wondered where all the votes for Trump came from.

The Robinson family, visiting from Sterling Heights, Michigan, shed on light as to why. Michigan was one of the Rust Belt states that pundits thought was solidly in the blue column, but where Trump pulled an upset.  

As the Robinsons explained, Michigan was hit hard by the economic recession and many there were swayed by Trump's message, even if they were afraid to tell their friends, let alone pollsters.

"There are those people that are quiet and won't really tell you [they're voting for Trump] and those are the ones who spoke out towards the end with their votes," they said.

The election also stunned visitors from outside the country.  

"I'm very disappointed," said one visitor from Ukraine.  

She says she's concerned because she believes Trump is too close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Another couple from Australia says they were also shocked by the results. They expected Clinton would win, but assumed Trump's TV fame, including "The Apprentice," helped him win.  

Their advice to Americans -- "you'll be alright."