The 2020 US presidential election is coming down to the wire, with a few remaining states bearing the brunt of deciding whether it would be incumbent Donald Trump or his Democratic rival Joe Biden who will become the country’s next president.
Biden is currently ahead with 264 electoral votes, while Trump has 214. A candidate needs 270 votes to win the election.
As counting continues in several key states, all eyes are now on Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, where the result is yet to be called in anyone’s favour. Biden is ahead in Nevada and leading by 917 votes in Georgia, while Trump is narrowly leading in the other two.
In Georgia, Biden and Trump are neck-and-neck with 49.4 percent of the vote.
The race has also become interesting in Arizona, which was called in favour of Biden by some networks on Wednesday. However, his lead has narrowed, and he currently has 50.1 percent of the vote in the state compared to Trump's 48.5 percent, according to AP. The former vice president leads Trump in the state by approximately 46,257 votes.
Media projections showing a Trump victory in the hotly contested states of Texas, Florida, Iowa and Ohio on Wednesday dashed the hopes of the Democrats securing an early decisive win.
However, Biden was later projected to win Wisconsin and Michigan – giving him an advantage in the race to capture the White House. The latter two states were earlier tipped in favour of Trump.
PROJECTIONS SO FAR
Wins for President Trump:
- Indiana - 11 electoral votes
- Kentucky - 8
- West Virginia - 5
- Alabama - 9
- Mississippi - 6
- Tennessee - 11
- Missouri - 10
- Oklahoma - 7
- South Carolina - 9
- Arkansas - 6
- Louisiana - 8
- North Dakota - 3
- South Dakota - 3
- Wyoming - 3
- Kansas - 6
- Utah - 6
- Idaho - 4
- Ohio - 18
- Iowa - 6
- Florida - 29
- Texas - 38
- Montana - 3
- Maine - Trump won one of Maine’s four votes
- Nebraska - Trump won four of Nebraska’s five electoral votes, while Biden won one in keeping with the state’s manner of assigning votes.
Wins for Democratic nominee Joe Biden:
- Vermont - 3
- Virginia - 13
- District of Columbia - 3
- Maryland - 10
- Massachusetts - 11
- New Jersey - 14
- Delaware - 3
- Connecticut - 7
- Illinois - 20
- Rhode Island - 4
- New York - 29
- New Mexico - 5
- Colorado - 9
- New Hampshire - 4
- Washington - 12
- California - 55
- Oregon - 7
- Hawaii - 4
- Minnesota - 10
- Arizona - 11
- Wisconsin - 10
- Michigan - 16
- Maine - at least three, in keeping with the state’s manner of assigning votes.
- Nebraska - Biden will win one electoral vote in Nebraska, projections show.
TRUMP FILES LAWSUITS, SAYS ‘STOP THE COUNT’
Meanwhile, President Trump’s campaign has filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia, laying the groundwork for contesting the battleground states, Associated Press reported.
On Thursday, Trump tweeted asking for the counting to be stopped, while Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris called for every vote to be counted.
THE BATTLE FOR SWING STATES
Ohio
In a tight race for the hotly contested swing state of Ohio, Trump emerged victor with 53.3 percent of the vote, as opposed to Biden’s 45.2, reported The New York Times. 90 percent of the estimated vote total has been reported.
Ohio accounts for 18 electoral votes.
Iowa
President Trump won the race for this battleground state as well, garnering 53.1 percent of the votes against Biden’s 44.9 percent. 92 percent of the estimated vote total has been reported, according to The New York Times.
The state has six electoral votes for grabs.
Florida
Projections show that Trump will win the battleground state of Florida, which has 29 electoral votes, with 51.2 percent votes, as compared to Biden’s 47.8 percent. The state had been won in 2016 by Trump.
Michigan
Biden has been projected to win this state, securing 50.4 percent of the vote against Trump’s 48 percent, with around 98 percent of the estimated vote total reported.
Michigan contributes 16 votes to the electoral college.
However, the Trump campaign released a statement saying that it has filed a lawsuit in Michigan, asking the state to halt counting until it receives “meaningful access” to observe the opening of ballots and the counting process.
Wisconsin
Biden has been projected to win this state as well, with 49.4 percent of the vote and Trump garnering 48.8 percent. Around 98 percent of the estimated votes have been reported. Trump's campaign said that they will immediately request a recount of votes in the key battleground state, according to Reuters.
In 2016, Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state in more than three decades when he defeated Hillary Clinton by less than 30,000 votes.
Texas
Multiple networks have called the race in the important state of Texas for President Trump, giving him the state’s 38 electoral votes.
Trump is projected to win 52.2 percent of the vote as opposed to Biden’s 46.3 percent. 96 percent of the estimated vote total has been reported.
Arizona
Biden is projected to win the swing state of Arizona with 50.5 percent of the vote, while Trump stands at 48.1 percent.
However, Biden’s lead has narrowed over the last few hours. With only 86 percent of the estimated vote reported, the race might just flip in favour of Trump.
The state has 11 electoral votes up for grabs.
Minnesota
Ahead of the election, Minnesota was identified as a state leaning towards a candidate but capable of swinging either way. Biden is projected to win the state, garnering 52.5 percent of the vote counted so far, with Trump at 45.4 percent.
Around 95 percent of the estimated vote total has been reported so far.
Minnesota contributes 10 electoral votes.
New Hampshire
Another state which was leaning but capable of a swing was New Hampshire, and it was projected to be won by Biden with 52.6 percent of the vote, against Trump’s 45.5 percent.
Around 98 percent of the estimated vote total has been reported.
The tiny state along the US-Canada border has four electoral votes to offer.
OTHER RACES AT STAKE
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, won his re-election on Tuesday, defeating Amy McGrath, settling in for a seventh term, The New York Times reported.
Meanwhile, Republican Governor Phil Scott has won re-election for the post in Vermont with 68.9 percent of the votes, Associated Press reported.
Delaware made history by electing Sarah McBride to the State Senate. McBride is now the highest-ranking openly transgender official in the country, Vox reported.
Retired astronaut and Democrat Mark Kelly won the election to the Senate from Arizona, wresting away control from incumbent Martha McSally, AP further reported.
Republican Marjorie Greene on Tuesday became the first supporter of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory to win a US House seat in Georgia, it added.
According to the news agency, John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, won the US Senate seat in Colorado, unseating Senator Cory Gardner in a race that is seen as key to the hopes of the party to retake the Senate.
Meanwhile, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez chalked up an overwhelming victory on Tuesday over first-time Republican challenger John Cummings, a 60-year-old Catholic high school teacher and former New York Police Department officer, The New York Times reported.
Lindsay Graham was also re-elected to US Senate in South Carolina, defeating Jaime Harrison, while incumbent Republican Senator Joni Ernest was re-elected to Iowa, defeating Democrat Theresa Greenfield.
John Cornyn won the re-election race in Texas, defeating Democrat MJ Hegar, while two New Yorkers, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones, became the first black and openly gay members of Congress.
Meanwhile, Californian Senator Ro Khanna won 77 percent of the votes, and Raja Krishnamoorthy secured a landslide victory in Illinois with over 71 percent votes against Preston Nelson.
ELECTION DAY KICKS OFF
Election Day had kicked off on Tuesday with long queues seen at many polling stations across the country, as voters turned up to cast their ballots. First Lady Melania Trump was among those who cast their votes in Florida.
Even before Tuesday, as many as seven states, including Texas, Hawaii, Washington, Montana, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon, had already gone past the turnout figure they had recorded in the 2016 election, with a big spike in pre-election voting, CNN reported.
Several businesses and stores across the country had boarded up their properties amid anxiety over possible unrest and potential protests turning violent.
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