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Trump wins swing state, edges ahead of Harris in US election

The first of the seven key battlegrounds – North Carolina – went to Trump, confirming his growing momentum

Published: Wed 6 Nov 2024, 8:52 AM

Updated: Wed 6 Nov 2024, 10:16 AM

  • By
  • AFP

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Photo: AFP

Photo: AFP

[Editor's Note: Click here to follow the US election results live with Khaleej Times.]

Donald Trump won the first of the swing states Tuesday as he pulled ahead of White House rival Kamala Harris, narrowing her path to victory in an agonisingly tight and suspenseful US presidential election.


The first of the seven key battlegrounds – North Carolina – went to Trump, confirming his growing momentum.

Democratic vice president Harris appeared to be underperforming in other key areas compared to the Republican former president.

Harris's camp said the race was now "razor-thin" and that her "clearest path" to victory was through the so-called Blue Wall swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Harris's campaign director Jen O'Malley Dillon insisted in an mail to campaign staff, obtained by AFP, that "we feel good about what we’re seeing" in the Blue Wall.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller said the mood in the Republican's camp in Florida was "positive."

The US dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high while most equity markets advanced as traders bet on a victory for Trump as the results rolled in.

Trump's early wins included the predictably Republican Florida and Texas while Harris won California, giving Trump 227 electoral votes and Harris 172. The magic number to win the presidency is 270.

Results from the other closely-fought main swing states were all still pending, but Trump was maintaining a lead in Georgia.

Republicans also flipped two Senate seats, in a major blow to Democrats as they fight tooth and nail to maintain their advantage in the chamber.

Bomb threats

Millions of Americans had lined up throughout Election Day – and millions more voted early – in a race with momentous consequences for the United States and the world.

They were deciding whether to either hand a historic comeback to Trump and his right-wing "America First" agenda or make Harris the first woman in the world's most powerful job.

In a stark reminder of the tension – and fears of outright violence – dozens of bomb threats were made against polling stations in Georgia and the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania.

The FBI said the threats appeared to originate in Russia, which is accused by Washington of trying to meddle in the election. The threats were all hoaxes but succeeded in disrupting proceedings.

Trump – who has still refused to accept his 2020 election loss, after which his supporters attacked the US Capitol – added as the first results came in that "we're going to have a big victory tonight."

In a possible preview of coming election challenges, Trump took to social media to say there is "talk about massive cheating" in Philadelphia, the Democratic stronghold of vital Pennsylvania.

City officials rejected the charge.

There were also fears of violence if Trump loses and numerous buildings in central Washington were boarded up on Tuesday.

Polls for weeks had shown a knife-edge race between Harris and Trump, who at 78 would be the oldest ever president at the time of inauguration, the first felon president, and only the second in history to serve non-consecutive terms.

Harris, 60, would also be only the second Black and first person of South Asian descent to be president.

She made a dramatic entrance into the race when Biden dropped out in July, while Trump – twice impeached while president – has since ridden out two assassination attempts and a criminal conviction.

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