The Associated Press has projected that former President Donald Trump has won North Carolina, with nearly 90% of the vote counted in the key battleground state.
With nearly 90% of the votes counted in North Carolina, former US President Donald Trump has won the battleground state, according to the Associated Press. Trump led by more than 130,000 votes when the agency declared him the winner. Democrats had hoped to flip the state in this year’s election, but their last success was in 2008 when former President Barack Obama won.
This victory would give Trump 16 more electoral votes, putting the Republican candidate closer to the 270 needed to win the presidency. Early results suggest Trump is on track to defeat Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
The New York Times estimates Trump currently has a 90% chance of winning the presidency, describing his return to power as “likely.” Based on early vote counts and polling results, the newspaper projects Trump is on track to secure 301 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win, while Harris is projected to win 238 votes.
The Washington Post also suggests Trump is “slightly favored” to win in six of seven swing states, which could determine the outcome. While a large portion of the votes in these states have been counted, Trump’s lead in places like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin is still too narrow for a definitive call.