Miss Arkansas, Savvy Shields won the Miss
America pageant Sunday night in Atlantic City.
She beat 52 other contestants to win the crown
and the title of Miss America 2016, succeeding
the outgoing Miss America Betty Cantrell.
Shields performed a jazz dance to a song from
the TV show "Smash," for which she won a
preliminary competition earlier in the week.
During the onstage interview portion of the
competition, she was asked what she thought of
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton,
one of several political questions asked of the
contestants. "Both of the contestants have done
a good job, but they also need to watch what
they're doing," she said.
The runners-up were: Fourth runner-up, Miss
Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis; third runner-up,
Miss Washington Alicia Cooper; second runner-
up Miss New York Camille Sims; first runner up
Miss South Carolina Rachel Wyatt.
The first openly gay contestant in the Miss
America pageant was eliminated Sunday night
when the top 15 finalists were chosen.
