
President-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech in the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 9, as his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, applauds in New York. The 2016 presidential campaign was one of the most dramatic and unpredictable races in U.S. history. How did we get to this point? Here's a look at how the campaign unfolded.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a conservative firebrand from Texas, stands on stage with his family March 25, 2015, after becoming the first Republican to announce a presidential run. Cruz, who made headlines with his staunch opposition to Obamacare and his willingness to shut down the federal government, presented a direct challenge to the expected bids of establishment Republicans such as Jeb Bush -- candidates Cruz coyly referred to as the "mushy middle."

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is reflected by glass before speaking at a leadership summit in Nashua, New Hampshire, on April 18, 2015. Walker, who rose to national fame by taking on unions in one of the most blue-collar states, officially became a presidential candidate three months later.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican presidential candidate from Kentucky, looks down as New Hampshire Sen. Andy Sanborn, standing on a chair, makes opening remarks at the opening of Paul's campaign office in Manchester, New Hampshire, on June 5, 2015. Paul, the son of former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, has carefully built a brand of mainstream libertarianism since riding the tea party wave into the Senate in 2010.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, speaks to the media at a campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa, on June 5, 2015. Graham, one of the Senate's leading foreign-policy hawks, announced earlier in the week that he would be running for President.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, a former first lady and secretary of state, delivers a speech at a New York City park on June 13, 2015. Clinton used the first major rally of her campaign to make a populist case, declaring that the goal of her presidency would be to tip the nation's economic scales back toward the middle class' favor.

Democratic candidate Martin O'Malley, left, plays with a borrowed guitar during a meet-and-greet in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on June 13, 2015. A couple weeks earlier, the former Maryland governor launched his campaign with an appeal to the party's progressive base, hoping to upend the conventional wisdom that Clinton was destined to clinch the Democratic nomination.

Campaign volunteers with the Jeb Bush campaign inflate thunderstick noisemakers before he formally announced his candidacy in Miami on June 15, 2015. Bush, a scion of the most recognizable family in Republican politics, fashioned an image as a sober-minded conservative truth-teller while governor of Florida.

Donald Trump, a real estate mogul and TV reality star, announces himself as a Republican candidate during a news conference in New York on June 16, 2015. "Sadly the American dream is dead," Trump said at the end of his speech at the Trump Tower. "But if I get elected President I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before."

People in Madison, Wisconsin, cheer at a campaign rally for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on July 1, 2015. The Vermont independent, seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, drew nearly 10,000 supporters in Madison.

Louisa Hill, 3, walks onto a stage in Hanover, New Hampshire, as Clinton speaks on July 3, 2015.

A baby looks at Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at a diner in Annapolis, Maryland, on July 15, 2015. Hogan was there to endorse Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, at left in the blue tie. Christie joined the race with strong national name recognition and a record in public office that spans more than a decade, having served as New Jersey's governor since 2010 and a U.S. Attorney from 2002-2010.

Supporters reach out to Trump as he leaves a stop in Laredo, Texas, on July 23, 2015. During a four-hour visit, Trump met with local officials and toured the border between the United States and Mexico. His visit was the culmination of more than a month of attention centered on Trump's branding of undocumented Mexican immigrants as killers and rapists -- remarks that drew condemnation from the Republican establishment but also helped rocket him to the top of the polls.

Trump raises his hand during the first Republican debates of the campaign, which took place in Cleveland on August 6, 2015. Trump kicked off the event by refusing to rule out a third-party run and pledge his support to whoever becomes the Republican nominee. He was joined on stage by nine other candidates -- seven of the lower-polling candidates had a separate debate before the main event.

Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a rally in Seattle, a dozen protesters from the city's Black Lives Matter chapter jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone on August 8, 2015. Holding a banner that said "Smash Racism," two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson, left, and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- addressed the crowd. Sanders stood just feet away off stage, chatting with his wife and the three aides that came to Seattle with him. His aides said the senator had no plans of leaving during the protests, but once Johnson did not appear willing to give up the mic after a moment of silence, organizers effectively shut down the event. Sanders never addressed the crowd, but he did make his way through it to shake hands and take pictures.

People at the Iowa State Fair use corn kernels to show support for their favorite presidential candidates on August 13, 2015. Many candidates attended the fair, mingling with voters in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

Brian Bolton, from Creston, Iowa, participates in a mounted shooting competition at the Iowa State Fair on August 14, 2015. Photographer Landon Nordeman visited the fair in search of presidential candidates and interesting people.

Bush is seen on a camera at the Iowa State Fair on August 14, 2015.

Trump poses for a picture with a woman and child at the Iowa State Fair on August 15, 2015.

Trump supporters take photos of Trump as he leaves a rally in Mobile, Alabama, on August 21, 2015. The rally was held in a football stadium to accommodate 30,000 supporters.

Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, left, asks Trump a question about his immigration plan during a news conference in Dubuque, Iowa, on August 25, 2015. Ramos squabbled with Trump twice during the event, and at one point a security officer ejected Ramos before he was allowed back in.

Keith Schiller, Trump's director of security and longtime bodyguard, holds back demonstrator Efrain Galicia at Trump Tower in New York on September 3, 2015. Galicia was among five protesters who later filed a lawsuit against Schiller, Trump, Trump's campaign and his company. The plaintiffs allege that Trump security officials, namely Schiller, assaulted them as they protested outside of a campaign event. A campaign spokesperson told The Washington Post that the protesters "were harassing people on the street" and that a Trump security guard was "jumped from behind."

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, left, holds hands with Kim Davis in front of a detention center in Grayson, Kentucky, on September 8, 2015. Davis, a Rowan County clerk of courts, spent several days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Huckabee latched onto Davis as a symbol of the fight against what he said is government overreach.

Cruz and Trump joined forces in Washington during a tea party rally against the Iran nuclear deal on September 9, 2015. "It is a bit of a romance," Trump told CNN at the time. "I like him, he likes me. He's backed me 100% about illegal immigration. He was the one person that really -- and there were a couple of others -- but Ted Cruz was out there and he backed me very strongly."

Liberty University students pray before a Sanders speech in Lynchburg, Virginia, on September 14, 2015. Sanders, who was popular with many young voters during the Democratic primaries, staunchly defended abortion rights and same-sex marriage during his visit to the largest Christian college in the world.

A man helps himself to a fried chicken buffet near an anti-abortion display at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Fall Family Dinner in September 2015. Defunding Planned Parenthood was a popular topic during the forum.

Cruz speaks during the annual banquet of the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition on September 19, 2015.

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, right, visits a pregnancy center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on September 24, 2015. Fiorina continued her attacks against Planned Parenthood, which was under fire because of a series of secretly taped, edited videos accusing it of breaking federal laws by profiting off the sale of organs and tissues of aborted fetuses. Planned Parenthood denied it had broken any laws.

Clinton, right, appears on an episode of "Saturday Night Live" opposite Kate McKinnon, who has been playing Clinton during the campaign, on October 3, 2015.

Trump poses with a woman he brought up on stage during a rally in Las Vegas on October 8, 2015. The woman kissed Trump as she clutched a copy of his People magazine cover. "I'm Hispanic and I vote for Mr. Trump! She said. "We vote for Mr. Trump! Yes! Mr. Trump! We love you! We love you, all the way to the White House!" Trump, who had come under fire for his comments about Hispanics, seemed to understand how it might be perceived. "I swear to you -- I think she's totally beautiful and great -- I've never met her before, I swear," he said.

During a Democratic debate on October 13, 2015, Sanders and Clinton shared a lighthearted moment following Sanders' take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Clinton said, "Thank you, me too," and then later shook his hand to the applause of the audience.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden turns to his wife, Jill, after announcing October 21, 2015, that he would not be running for President. The announcement took place at the White House Rose Garden with President Barack Obama.

Clinton testifies before the House Benghazi Committee on October 22, 2015. Clinton mounted a passionate defense of her response to the attack, which claimed the lives of four Americans in 2012. But she came under repeated criticism from Republicans who tried to prove she ignored pleas from U.S. diplomats for better security.

Trump is flanked by impersonators Taran Killam, left, and Darrell Hammond during his "Saturday Night Live" monologue on November 7, 2015.

Trump supporters boo the media after a heckler was removed from a campaign stop in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 21, 2015. Trump has been critical of the press throughout the campaign, saying it is biased against him, and he has denied press credentials to several prominent news outlets, including The Washington Post, Politico and The Daily Beast.

Sanders sits in an Atlanta cafe with rapper Killer Mike on November 23, 2015. The rapper introduced Sanders at a campaign event later that day.

Hidayah Martinez Jaka wears an American flag hijab as Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley speaks at a mosque in Sterling, Virginia, on December 11, 2015.

Nine of the highest-polling Republican candidates take part in a debate in Las Vegas on December 15, 2015. Vincent Laforet, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and director, set up seven still cameras at the debate, which was held at a theater inside the Venetian hotel and casino.

Trump shares a laugh with fellow candidate Ben Carson during the Las Vegas debate.

A supporter reacts as Trump signs her poster during a campaign rally in Lowell, Massachusetts, on January 4, 2016.

A protester is removed by security personnel during a Trump campaign event in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on January 8, 2016.

While visiting the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, on January 18, 2016, Sanders touches the actual jail bars that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was behind when he wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" in 1963.

Trump shakes the hand of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin after she endorsed him in Ames, Iowa, on January 19, 2016. Palin was the GOP's vice presidential candidate in 2008.

A giant Trump poster is illuminated outside a home in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 28, 2016.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, second from right, drinks a beer at a pub in Waukee, Iowa, on January 28, 2016. The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania also ran in 2012.

A woman in a Princess Leia costume makes a "Star Wars"-themed plea for Sanders during a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on January 30, 2016.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea, listen to Hillary Clinton speak in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on January 30, 2016. Clinton went on to win the Iowa caucuses by a razor-thin margin, edging Sanders by a few percentage points. Cruz won on the GOP side.

Sanders speaks during a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 31, 2016.

Former first lady Barbara Bush jokes with her son Jeb while introducing him at a town-hall meeting in Derry, New Hampshire, on February 4, 2016.

A campaign worker brushes snow off Sanders signs in Manchester, New Hampshire, on February 5, 2016. Sanders won the New Hampshire primary a few days later.

Trump and Christie talk to each other during a commercial break at the Republican debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, on February 6, 2016. At left is U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. Trump won the New Hampshire primary on February 9 -- his first victory on the way to the nomination.

Sanders, left, appears in a "Saturday Night Live" skit with comedian Larry David on February 6, 2016. David has been playing Sanders during the campaign.

Timothy Kierstead, a married gay man from Manchester, New Hampshire, confronts Rubio about his position on same-sex marriage. "Why do you want to put me back in the closet?" Kierstead asked Rubio on February 8, 2016. Rubio said he didn't. "I just believe marriage is between one man and one woman," the Florida senator said.

A performance artist named Vermin Supreme -- who officially registered as a presidential candidate -- talks to a motorist as he campaigns in Manchester, New Hampshire, on February 6, 2016.

Clinton plays goalie during a campaign stop at an indoor-soccer center in Las Vegas on February 13, 2016. After her loss in New Hampshire, Clinton rebounded to win the Nevada primary on February 20.

Sanders meets a 3-month-old dressed like him at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on February 14, 2016. The boy, Oliver Jack Carter Lomas-Davis, died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome a few weeks later.

Pallbearers carry the flag-covered casket of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia during his funeral in Washington on February 20, 2016. The vacancy left by Scalia's death -- and when and how to fill it -- added another hot-button topic to the presidential campaign.

Cruz speaks from a truck bed at a rally in Pahrump, Nevada, on February 21, 2016.

Clinton greets supporters at a town-hall meeting in Florence, South Carolina, on February 25, 2016. Her landslide victory in the South Carolina primary restored her as the undisputed front-runner in the Democratic race.

Trump tosses a water bottle while speaking to supporters in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 26, 2016. He was mocking Rubio's 2013 State of the Union response, where Rubio took a sip of water mid-speech.

Christopher Morris, a photographer on assignment for Time magazine, is escorted by police during a Trump rally in Radford, Virginia, on February 29, 2016. Morris said a Secret Service agent choked him and slammed him to the ground as he tried to leave a media pen at the event. The incident was caught on video.

Bernie Sanders is joined by his wife, Jane, at a rally in Burlington, Vermont, on March 1, 2016. Sanders won his state's primary on Super Tuesday, but he lost to Clinton in seven of the other 10 states.

Christie, who suspended his campaign in February, stands near Trump after introducing the GOP front-runner in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 1, 2016. Christie's facial expression drew laughter on social media, where the hashtag #FreeChrisChristie took flight. Christie later insisted his blank stare was only because he was listening intently. "All these armchair psychiatrists should give it a break," Christie said. "I was standing up there, supporting the person who I believe is the best person to beat Hillary Clinton of the remaining Republican candidates. It's why I endorsed him."

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gives a speech about the state of the Republican Party during a forum at the University of Utah on March 3, 2016. Romney went after Trump, calling the GOP front-runner a phony and a fraud. Trump hit back by mocking Romney's loss in the 2012 presidential election and saying that Romney back then "was begging for my endorsement."

Trump holds up his hands during a Republican debate in Detroit on March 3, 2016. Trump assured American voters that despite what Rubio had suggested, there was "no problem" with the size of his hands -- or anything else.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, one of the Republican presidential candidates, poses with a Sanders impersonator at the end of a town-hall meeting in Palatine, Illinois, on March 9, 2016.

Rubio and Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are touched up before an interview in Hialeah, Florida, on March 9, 2016. Rubio dropped out of the race a week later after losing in his home state.

Trump supporter Birgitt Peterson argues with protesters outside a canceled Trump rally in Chicago on March 11, 2016. Peterson told the Chicago Tribune that she responded with a Nazi-style salute after anti-Trump protesters called her a Nazi. Trump's campaign postponed the rally amid fights between supporters and demonstrators, protests in the streets and concerns that the environment at the event was no longer safe.

Secret Service agents surround Trump as he speaks at Dayton International Airport in Dayton, Ohio, on March 12, 2016. A man had tried to rush the stage.

Kasich celebrates his Ohio primary victory on March 15, 2016. It was the only win of his campaign.

Sanders smiles at a bird after it landed on his podium in Portland, Oregon, on March 25, 2016.

Cruz laughs at a poster while speaking a town-hall event in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 30, 2016.

Clinton swipes a MetroCard to ride the subway in New York on April 7, 2016. The sight of her riding the rails looked out of place for a candidate more used to riding in a Secret Service-protected van and private plane.

Kasich has lunch at a deli during a campaign stop in New York on April 7, 2016.

Clinton shakes hands during a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware, on April 25, 2016.

Cruz waves with Fiorina after naming her as his running mate on April 27, 2016. Cruz was trying to regain momentum after it became mathematically impossible for him to win the nomination outright. Fiorina had ended her own presidential run in February.

Protester Biseat Yawkal yells as she is pushed by police outside of the California Republican Convention on April 29, 2016. Trump protesters -- some of whom wore bandanas over their faces and carried Mexican flags -- blocked off the road in front of the Hyatt Regency, forcing Trump's motorcade to pull over along a concrete median outside the hotel's back entrance. Trump and his entourage got out and walked into the building.

A military-style truck promoting Trump's campaign passes over the Memorial Bridge in Washington during the annual Rolling Thunder biker rally on May 29, 2016. The event is a tradition on Memorial Day weekend, paying tribute to prisoners of war and Americans missing in action.

Sanders, at center in the light-blue shirt, watches a playoff basketball game in Oakland, California, on May 30, 2016. The candidate, campaigning for the state's primary, saw the Golden State Warriors win Game 7 of the NBA's Western Conference Finals.

A Trump supporter wipes egg off her face after clashes broke out between Trump supporters and Trump protesters in San Jose, California, on June 2, 2016. Trump was holding a rally at the nearby convention center.

People wait in line to attend a Sanders rally in San Francisco on June 6, 2016.

Clinton arrives to a primary night rally in New York on June 7, 2016. A day earlier, she had secured enough delegates to become the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee.

Sanders walks with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on June 9, 2016. The two met for more than an hour. When it was over, Sanders vowed to work with Clinton. Obama also formally endorsed Clinton.

Chelsea Clinton holds her newborn son, Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky, as she leaves a New York hospital with her husband, Marc, and her parents on June 20, 2016. It's the second grandchild for Bill and Hillary Clinton.

A man plays the bagpipes next to Trump after the candidate arrived at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland on June 24, 2016. Trump became the GOP's presumptive nominee in May.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, center, talks with reporters after Trump met with the Senate Republican Conference on July 7, 2016. Trump had come to Capitol Hill with the hopes of unifying the party. Sessions, one of Trump's staunchest supporters, argued that Trump had accomplished his goals at the meeting by making a more strenuous effort to bring the party together. But there were reports of tension.

Naked women hold mirrors as part of a large-scale art installation in Cleveland, across from the site of the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2016. The project by artist Spencer Tunick is called "Everything She Says Means Everything."

Talk-show host Stephen Colbert performs on the floor of the Republican National Convention during a taping of his program on July 17, 2016. Colbert played "Hunger Games" character Caesar Flickerman at both the Republican and Democratic conventions.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivers a fiery speech on the opening night of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016. He unleashed a stinging barrage against Clinton's character, and he attacked the Democrat over Benghazi and immigration.

Trump's wife, Melania, delivers a speech at the convention on July 18, 2016. "If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you, he's the guy," she said of her husband. Afterward, it was revealed that passages of her speech were taken from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention. A speechwriter identified herself as the person responsible for the plagiarism, and she offered her resignation. The Trumps did not accept. "She made a mistake. ... We all make mistakes," Donald Trump told ABC News.

Trump waves as he leaves the stage during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016.

A Republican's hat carries old campaign buttons at the convention in Cleveland.

Carson speaks on the second day of the Republican National Convention. The former presidential candidate said Trump skeptics who would vote for Clinton are "not using their God-given brain to think about what they're saying. ... She'll be appointing people who will have an effect on us for generations. And America may never recover."

Trump's daughter Ivanka smiles for a man's photo at the convention.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, right, talks with Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, as Priebus explains Alaska's votes on the second day of the Republican National Convention. Trump shared Alaska's delegates after the state's caucuses on March 1, but a little-known rule allowed him to receive all of them at the convention.

Cruz, Trump's main adversary in the primaries, walks off the stage after his speech at the convention. He was booed at the end of his speech when it was clear he wasn't endorsing Trump. Cruz told people to "vote your conscience."

People react to Cruz's speech at the convention on July 20, 2016.

Trump gives an "air kiss" to his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, after Pence's speech at the convention on July 20, 2016.

A protester wears a Hillary Clinton mask outside the Republican National Convention. CNN sent photographer Peter van Agtmael into the crowds of both conventions to get a handle on what it's like away from the politicians and delegates.

Clinton was not a popular figure at the Republican National Convention. An outsider's look at the RNC

Trump delivers his speech at the Republican National Convention. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people."

Clinton, accompanied by first responders and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, visits a memorial outside of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on July 22, 2016. The nightclub was the site of a June shooting that killed 49 people.