Republican Donald Trump secured 232 electoral votes against 216 votes of Kamala Harris defeated Democrat Kamala Harris in North Carolina, a key battleground state, in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, according to projections from Edison Research. This win brings Trump closer to a remarkable political comeback.
The race remained undecided in six other states crucial to determining the overall winner.
Trump was showing strong support across much of the country, leading with 230 Electoral College votes to Harris’ 182 as of 11:30 p.m. ET (4:30 a.m. GMT on Wednesday). To secure the presidency, a candidate must reach 270 votes in the Electoral College.
Decision Desk HQ also projected that Trump would carry Georgia, narrowing Harris’ potential path to victory, which would now rely heavily on the Rust Belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—where she currently trails.
Trump gained ground with Hispanic voters and lower-income households, who have felt economic pressures in recent years, according to exit polls from Edison. Nationwide, Trump received 45% of the Hispanic vote, trailing Harris’ 53% but representing a 13-point increase over his 2020 performance.
Voters focused on the economy largely favored Trump, especially if they felt financially worse off than in 2020. Approximately 31% of voters cited the economy as their top issue, backing Trump by a 79%-to-20% margin. Additionally, 45% of voters said their family’s financial situation had worsened over the past four years, supporting Trump 80% to 17% over Harris.
