What are the next steps? This has been such a divisive election, how do we bring the country back together at this point?

“I think so much of that is going to depend on what the Republicans do.

“There has just been this incredible frustration with both parties. I remember in the primaries, one of the things that was really stunning was how much individuals and activists in both political parties felt like they had been betrayed by the establishments in Washington. So now the question going forward is whether or not Trump is going to fall in line with Republican orthodoxy and push the Republican platform and become a party leader, or whether he is going to continue to push back against this one-party myopia that prevails after these kind of wave elections, and whether he decides to continue to focus on what he said he wanted to do. Things that the Republican Party isn’t all that interested in.”

Is there anything that you think is important to make note of, looking at this upset?

“I don’t think what most Americans realize is how seriously divided this country is. Democrats don’t live near Republicans, and Republicans don’t live near Democrats. But when you actually look at the numbers, we have a country that’s about 47% on each side. And we have a very small group of people who kind of come in and out of the elections, and sometimes switch their vote.

“I do think that generally speaking, people in the ‘establishment’ really neglected how much the American people want change, and felt like they didn’t get change with Barack Obama. Or at least not the change they were hoping for.

“I once heard somebody describe Donald Trump as a lottery ticket. The likelihood is that you’re going to lose, but there was a slim hope that you might just win. And let’s put it this way: If you’re in a place where you are desperate enough to make a lottery ticket your financial strategy, you’re in a really really bad place.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.