The so-called elections experts got Tuesday wrong — completely wrong.

Pollsters and pundits either did not — or somehow could not — foresee the wave of emotion that led millions of voters to seek a change in the federal government.

Clearly the American people — particularly those in the heartland of America — spoke clearly and loudly Tuesday.

They sought change, and they believed Donald J. Trump was their best chance at seeing significant change.

At last count, Trump’s opponent Hillary Clinton — who clearly embodied the Washington, D.C., establishment to many of Trump’s supporters — still earned more actual, popular votes than Trump. Add in the other candidates who received votes and the number of Americans who voted against Trump grows even more significant.

Those votes do not matter on the outcome of the race since Trump amassed more Electoral College votes.

But those voters matter greatly if our leaders, in particular Trump, hope to even remotely unify our country again.

America cannot continue as a nation so deeply divided.

But rebuilding the majority of Americans’ trust will take much time, much communication and much patience on the part of all of us. In the end, hopefully, we will find that all have more in common than we have dividing us.