CNN's John King: 'America is a center-right country

CNN host John King on Friday declared America a "center-right country," adding that the nation is "a lot more conservative" than Democrats would have you to believe.

On his show "Inside Politics," King noted that, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is projected to win the popular vote, Republican President-elect Donald Trump won the required 270 electoral votes to propel him to the Oval Office. The outcome was a surprise to many in the media who had all but called the race for Clinton in the hours leading up to Tuesday.

"Every election teaches us lessons. It reminds us of truths that we've perhaps overlooked or simply ignored," King said.

The CNN host first broke down the election outcome by state and then by county.

The result was an overwhelming sea of red from the Rust Belt to the desert of Arizona to the beaches of Florida, an electoral map that he acknowledged is "a tough one for Democrats."

"See all that red? America is a center-right country," King added. "It is a lot more conservative, especially out in the heartland, than Democrats think."