NEW YORK, New York — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), a key ally of, and adviser to, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, told reporters on the floor of the Trump victory party that Trump’s strong performance on Election Night was “a powerful expression by the American people.”

As Sessions spoke, the presidential election looked too close to call — a surprising result, given than most analysts predicted Clinton to win easily.

Sessions said: “Every time they count him out, he’s still standing.”

He added:

“Trump’s prospects have improved, and he’s running against the mainstream media and moneyed interests.

“He’s been outspent by a tremendous amount, but because he had the courage to stand up for fundamental principles … like the trade laws, like immigration … people stuck with him.

“They didn’t cut and run, and he didn’t cut and run.”

Sessions spoke as networks called a close race in Virginia for Hillary Clinton, and just before they called Ohio for Trump.

Hillary Clinton also won Colorado and New Mexico, with results still coming in the key Upper Midwest states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, where both campaigns fought hard in the closing days of the campaign.

Polls had also just closed in Iowa and Nevada, two swing states that were targeted by both campaigns. Trump was expected to win Iowa, but early voting numbers favored Clinton in Nevada.

One of the reasons Sessions supported Trump from an early stage — when few in Congress would — was his positions on trade and immigration. Those positions are also the greatest reason for Trump’s strong performance in Ohio and his competitive fight in other Rust Belt states.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new book, See No Evil: 19 Hard Truths the Left Can’t Handle, is available from Regnery through Amazon. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.