Republican candidate Donald Trump surged ahead in the U.S. presidential election as early results showed him leading in key states.
As of 4:00 a.m., Trump had accumulated 198 Electoral College votes, significantly ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris, who held 109 votes.
Trump secured victories in 20 states, including 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. Meanwhile, Harris won in 10 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Colorado.
A notable win for Trump came in Georgia, a pivotal swing state. Both candidates are now focused on securing the 270 Electoral College votes required to claim the presidency.
President Joe Biden was at the White House making congratulatory calls to Democrats who won their races.
He called Senator-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester from his home state of Delaware.
Blunt Rochester had breakfast with Biden last Monday when he voted in his home state.
He also called Delaware’s Govenor-elect Matt Meyer and Wilmington’s new Mayor, former Governor John Carney.
The 81-year-old also talked to New Jersey’s incoming-Democratic Governor, Representative Andy Kim and North Carolina’s incoming-Democratic Governor, Attorney-General Josh Stein.
Harris is in Washington, D.C. to watch the election results at Howard University, her alma mater. Should she win, Harris would make history as the first U.S. president to have graduated from a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a milestone she celebrated with supporters at Howard, saying: “I am ready to be the next president.”
Trump: I would acknowledge it if I lose
Trump said: “I would be the first one to acknowledge it if I lost,” as he cast his vote alongside his wife, Melania, in Palm Beach, Florida.
Wearing his signature “Make America Great Again” hat, Trump emphasised his willingness to respect a fair election outcome, signaling readiness to accept the results under the right conditions.
However, Trump voiced sharp criticism over potential delays in Pennsylvania, calling them “an absolute outrage” and suggesting that extended counting timelines could lead to legal challenges if the process extends into the coming days.
Trump underscored his ongoing concerns about election integrity, vowing to accept the outcome if, in his view, the election is conducted fairly.
His remarks added to the tension surrounding Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, as both campaigns brace for a possibly prolonged and contested vote count.
Calls for immediate results as mail-in ballots delay counts
At a final rally in Michigan, Trump called for an immediate election-night result, raising concerns about his insistence on a rapid conclusion despite the high volume of mail-in ballots.
He told a crowd of supporters that “we want the answer tonight.”
Experts warn that the influx of postal ballots, especially in swing states like Pennsylvania, may delay the outcome by days.
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