Florida [US], November 6 (HBTV): Former President Donald Trump won his home state of Florida, marking his third consecutive victory in the Sunshine State, according to a Decision Desk HQ projection on Tuesday.
As of the latest projections by Politico at 10 a.m. IST, Trump has surged to 230 electoral college votes, compared to 205 for Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has carried most of the 'Red Wall' states in this election.
The win in Florida adds 30 electoral votes to Trump's total. Once considered a swing state, which played a key role in deciding the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush, Florida has shifted significantly towards the Republican Party in recent years. Barack Obama won the state in 2008 and 2012.
Meanwhile, Harris was seen trailing in her home state of Minnesota, as Trump aimed to flip the state's 10 electoral votes—one of the traditional Democratic strongholds. According to CBS News, no Republican candidate has won Minnesota since 1972. Trump came within striking distance in 2016, narrowly losing by 1.5 points to Hillary Clinton.
Trump has won in Idaho, and Harris has claimed California, according to CNN projections. He has also secured a victory in Texas, with NBC News projecting him to win the state’s 40 electoral votes. Additionally, Trump notched a win in Oklahoma, with 65 percent of the vote, according to NBC News projections.
Polls have shown a tight race, with Trump holding a tentative lead over Democratic candidate Harris by just a few points in some cases. According to projections at 9 a.m. IST, NBC, ABC, and CBS all gave Harris 91 electoral votes, while Trump was reported to have between 178 and 201 electoral votes.
Fox News projected Trump wins in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Arkansas. Harris was projected to win in Vermont, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia.
CNN projected Trump victories in Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Kansas, and North Carolina, while Harris was shown leading in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, and Maine. Harris was also projected to win in Colorado, New York, and Delaware.
Trump is projected to win in Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Louisiana.
There are 538 electoral votes allotted across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a candidate needing 270 votes to win.
According to CBS projections at 9:45 a.m. IST, Trump is narrowly ahead in Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, while Harris holds an advantage in Michigan.
"Polls have closed in Florida. @realDonaldTrump has carried the state of Florida and earned 30 electoral votes," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on X.
DeSantis led an aggressive campaign against Amendment 3, which sought to legalize recreational marijuana, and Amendment 4, which would have expanded abortion access in the state.
Following the win, the Trump campaign issued a statement: "After four years of the disastrous Harris-Biden administration, Floridians are eager to return to common-sense policies that put their freedom, their families, and America first."
The US is voting to elect the President and Vice President, all representatives to the House, one-third of the senators, as well as governors in 11 states and two US territories.
By around 10 a.m. IST, polls had closed in most states, including the seven swing states of Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
(ANI)