Donald Trump closes in on victory after winning southern battlegrounds
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Donald Trump has secured victories in the key southern states of Georgia and North Carolina, significantly boosting his position in the electoral college and paving the way for a potential comeback to the presidency.
The Associated Press predicted that Trump would defeat Kamala Harris in Georgia shortly before 1 a.m. ET, flipping a state that Joe Biden had claimed during his win over Trump in the 2020 election.
In a clear indication that the outcome had changed the candidates' strategic thinking, Cedric Richmond, who is co-chairing Harris’s campaign, revealed that the vice president would not be attending her election-night celebration in Washington. This suggested that the Democrats were bracing themselves for a loss.
The call from Georgia came after Trump secured a win in North Carolina, putting an end to Harris's chances of capturing two states that Democrats had thought could be realistic goals in the rapidly developing "new south."
Early tallies from the last five key states — Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona — indicated that Trump was doing strong in critical areas that Harris needed to secure in order to have a chance at winning.
Previously, Trump easily triumphed in his home state of Florida, as well as in several conservative states throughout the South and Midwest, such as Texas and Iowa. Notably, a recent poll had hinted that Harris might achieve a surprising victory in Iowa.
Harris secured victories in traditionally Democratic states like New York and California, while Trump maintained a lead in the electoral college with 246 votes compared to Harris’s 210. To win the election, a candidate needs to obtain 270 electoral college votes.
Republicans were poised to gain control of the Senate for the first time in four years, having secured victories over Democrats in West Virginia and Ohio. Meanwhile, the outcome for the House of Representatives was still uncertain as early Wednesday morning approached.
On Tuesday night, Jen O'Malley Dillon, who is leading Harris's campaign, reached out to the team to express her belief that there is still a chance for success in the presidential election. She mentioned that the outcome might not become clear until the early hours of the morning.
"We've always recognized that the surest route to securing 270 electoral votes goes through the Blue Wall states. We're optimistic about the trends we're observing," she noted, referencing strong voter turnout in Democratic areas of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
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At a gathering in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, the initial excitement among Democrats about their victory in the governor's race had faded by 11:30 PM, when the state was declared for Trump. Those who stayed at the party observed the results quietly, as lively pop music continued to play in the background.
Global investors viewed Trump's impressive performance so far as a signal that he was likely to secure the presidency. This optimism caused the dollar and bitcoin to rise significantly, even while the vote tallying was still ongoing.
Exit polls conducted for US television networks and released at 5 PM ET revealed that the most significant concern for 35% of voters was the future of American democracy. The economy followed closely behind, with 31% of respondents highlighting it as an important issue. Additionally, 14% pointed to abortion, while 11% mentioned immigration.
Trump cast his vote in his newly chosen hometown of Palm Beach, Florida, and then encouraged his supporters to remain patient at polling places across the country. He posted on X, “Republicans: We are doing GREAT! Stay in line. Don’t let them push you out. STAY IN LINE AND VOTE!”
His campaign is likely to gain momentum from his significant victory in Florida, where he won by a much larger margin than in 2020. In general, Trump has been doing well in rural regions, while Harris tends to dominate in urban and suburban locations.
Harris was observing the results from the vice president's home.
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The presidential race has been characterized by intense pressure and unexpected, dramatic events, such as two attempts on Trump's life and Biden's decision to drop out of the competition and support Harris.
Election Day was relatively calm, but the FBI issued a warning in the early afternoon about investigating "bomb threats at polling places across various states." They indicated that these threats seemed to be linked to email addresses originating in Russia.
Several places in Georgia were briefly shut down due to threats, but a state judge allowed for extended voting hours in those precincts around Atlanta to compensate for the disruption. Moments before the polls were about to close, officials in DeKalb County, which encompasses Atlanta, reported that seven voting locations had been threatened.
