Both parties expressed optimism as Republican candidate Donald Trump took an early lead in the U.S. presidential election results.
As of early hours of this morning, Trump had secured more Electoral College votes than Vice President Kamala Harris, leading in 20 states with a total of 198 votes, while Harris had won 10 states, totaling 109 votes.
The election involves all 50 states. The states Trump won include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Harris’s victories so far are in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Colorado.
The former president gained traction in early results, notably winning the pivotal swing state of Georgia. Both candidates were vying for the necessary 270 electoral votes to secure the presidency.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden was at the White House making congratulatory calls to victorious Democrats, including Senator-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware, with whom he had recently shared breakfast.
He also reached out to Delaware Governor-elect Matt Meyer and Wilmington’s new Mayor, former Governor John Carney, along with New Jersey’s incoming Democratic Governor, Representative Andy Kim, and North Carolina’s incoming Democratic Governor, Attorney General Josh Stein.
In Washington, D.C., Harris was following the election results at Howard University, her alma mater. If successful, she would become the first U.S. president to graduate from a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a milestone she celebrated by stating, “I am ready to be the next president.”
Regarding the election outcome, Trump stated, “I would be the first one to acknowledge it if I lost,” while voting with his wife, Melania, in Palm Beach, Florida. Wearing his trademark “Make America Great Again” hat, he highlighted his commitment to accept a fair election result, but criticized potential delays in Pennsylvania, calling them “an absolute outrage” and suggesting that extended counting could lead to legal disputes.
He reiterated his concerns about election integrity, committing to accept the results only if he believed the process was fair. His comments added to the mounting tension in Pennsylvania, a vital battleground state, as both candidates prepared for a potentially protracted and contested counting process.
At a rally in Michigan, Trump demanded immediate election night results and expressed concerns over delays caused by mail-in ballots, telling supporters, “we want the answer tonight.” Experts have cautioned that the increase in postal ballots, particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania, could postpone the election results for several days.
