Trump supporters in Alaska celebrate

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From left, Celeste Erikson, Jonas Thompson and Bruce Burnett celebrate when television reports announce that Hillary Clinton has conceded the presidential race. Donald Trump supporters gathered at Flattop Pizza to watch results come in on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. (Marc Lester / Alaska Dispatch News)

Donald Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton by a commanding margin in Alaska, followed a national pattern, with Trump outperforming pre-election expectations and cruising to a surprise victory to become the 45th president of the United States.

With 98 percent of the precincts reporting early Wednesday, Trump had 51.6 percent of the vote, compared to 36.6 percent for the former secretary of state, according to results from the Alaska Division of Elections.

Trump supporters in Alaska were surprised and overjoyed at the upset victory by the New York real estate mogul, an election result that defied most polls and predictions.

"President Trump – I never would have thought," Tuckerman Babcock, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, said before catching himself.

"I thought the mainstream media and establishment Democrats would pull it out and I'm delighted people have seen beyond that," Babcock said at a Republican Election Night party at the Top of the World restaurant in the Anchorage Hilton.

Alaska Senate President Kevin Meyer of Anchorage, also at the GOP gathering, said he believes Trump will be more supportive of resource development than Democrats, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"Neither talked much about that issue, but we know where Hillary stood on offshore leasing and ANWR. Trump will certainly be more open to support that. If Trump wins that will be good for Alaska," Meyer said.

However, a "downside" was the negative reaction in of financial markets, which could hurt Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. holdings, he said.

House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, had similar hopes about increased oil drilling.

"I don't think Congress will open ANWR anytime soon but that option might be on the table under Trump — under Clinton it wouldn't be," Chenault said at the GOP gathering. "I think we got a better chance with Trump than anyone else (to ease) permitting and resource development. Get out of the way and let us help our state."

Trump Alaska campaign workers, gathered at a victory party at Flattop Pizza in downtown Anchorage, were celebrating.

George LaMoureaux, Trump's Alaska volunteer coordinator, said Trump had the right plan to rebuild the country and "make America great again." Hillary Clinton, he said, is corrupt, a serial liar and an "evil woman."

LaMoureaux said he supported Trump's views on trade and building a wall along the Mexican border, which he said would protect America from drugs coming into the country.

"If it's part of God's plan he will be president," he said.

Across the street, at the Alaska Democrats' gathering at the Williwaw bar and restaurant, the mood had turned more grim  and the crowd started to thin out as it became clear that Trump was headed for victory. Nicole Regan, of Anchorage, said around 10 p.m. that she had already cried four times Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old college student said that for the most part, she was "fairly proud" of how Alaska voted but disappointed by the national results.

"I'm done," Regan said. "I'm just tired."

Just across the street, Trump supporters chanted "USA" and cheered loudly inside Flattop. At one point, a Trump supporter came into Willwaw yelling and carrying a Trump/Pence sign. He was kicked out. Outside, he began yelling expletives and "you lost." A woman from Williwaw shouted back.

The Alaska results came despite a rejection from one of the state's top Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who cited Trump's personal behavior and attitudes about women.

For Murkowski, a turning point was the public release of previously unaired 2005 footage from the program "Access Hollywood." The footage captures Trump making crude comments about women, including a declaration about grabbing women's genitals.

Murkowski, upon viewing the footage, declared Trump unfit to be president. "It was instantaneous. When I saw the video, I said `I'm done, this is over,'" she told the Alaska Dispatch News then.

Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, both withheld support from Trump and said Tuesday they cast write-in votes for president.

But other Alaskans were either unconcerned with the comments or overcame their distaste.

Trump voter Chris Earle, a 25-year-old registered Republican who works in security at the Sullivan Arena, said he was not concerned about the real-estate mogul's comments.

"He's a normal human being. I've probably said things just as bad — maybe worse," he said after casting his ballot in at Baxter Elementary School in East Anchorage.

Damien Williams, a 31-year-old carpenter, did admit to some misgivings about Trump's personal behavior but also wound up voting for the Republican at the same school voting site.

"He's probably outspoken and misogynistic," Williams said. Still, he chose Trump because he was "someone who wasn't being investigated."

The voting patterns followed Alaska's history. Alaska voters in the past have heavily favored Republicans in most presidential elections. The last time a Democrat won the presidential race in Alaska was 1964, when President Lyndon Johnson trounced Republican Barry Goldwater nationally.

Still, many pre-election polls and analysts predicted an unusually close vote in the state. Democrats had hoped to make Alaska competitive in this election. The Alaska Federation of Natives made its first-ever presidential endorsement, backing Clinton.

Trump's Alaska campaign also had some on-the-ground disadvantages. It had just one paid staffer, former state legislator Jerry Ward, and the campaign failed to even submit the required information to get Trump's information into the printed state voter guide.