 "How did Donald Trump dent Kamala Harris' Blue Wall?")
Donald Trump is looking like he will be the next President of the United States.
The Republican Party candidate has already notched up 267 Electoral Votes compared to just 224 Electoral Votes for Vice-President Kamala Harris.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president, and your 45th president,” Trump, addressing his supporters in Florida, said.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate – wow that’s good,” Trump added. “This moment will help the country “heal.”
Before the election, the Democrats and Harris were relying on the ‘Blue Wall’ states – Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin – to carry her to victory.
Trump has been projected carried Pennsylvania and is leading in Michigan and Wisconsin.
But how did Trump dent Harris’ ‘Blue Wall?’
Let’s take a closer look:
Blue Wall cracking
Politico has reported that Trump has improved his margins over 130 counties in the Blue Wall counties that have reported full or nearly full results.
The average shift to Trump has been 1.3 per cent among all counties.
Remember, President Joe Biden won both Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by razor-thin margins in 2020.
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Trump had cracked the Blue Wall in 2016 in his victory over Hillary Clinton.
Pennsylvania
As per The New York Times, Pennsylvania has been called for Trump with around 95.9 per cent of the votes in.
Trump has received 3.4 million votes compared to Harris’ 3.2 million votes.
According to Politico, Trump focussed on the economy relentlessly in the state.
He also focussed on tariffs, his plans for mass deportations and hit Harris on fracking – which is a big issue in the state.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Keystone State, with 19 Electoral Votes, was the largest prize up for grabs among the swing states.
Trump carried the state in 2016 – defeating Hillary Clinton – before losing it to Joe Biden in 2020.
It also has a long history of picking the winner of the election.
Trump became just the second Republican to carry the state since 1988 when George HW Bush won it.
“It’s the granddaddy of all the swing states,” ex-congressman Patrick Murphy, who represented north-eastern Pennsylvania as a Democrat told BBC.
The outlet had quoted election analyst Nate Silver as saying that the candidate that takes Pennsylvania has over a 90 per cent shot at winning the presidential election.
It looks as if Silver was correct.
Michigan
Michigan, which remains too close to call, has 15 Electoral Votes up for grabs.
With 84 per cent of the vote in, Trump has 2.4 million votes compared to 2.1 million for Harris.
The New York Times, at this moment, has the state leaning towards Trump.
As per Al Jazeera, Trump had praised his Muslim supporters in the state the day before the polls, saying, “They want peace. They really do. They don’t want to be in wars. They’re very smart.”
As per NBC, Trump is leading in nearly more than 50 counties in the state including Alcona, Algar, Alpena.
Biden took the state of Michigan by three points – 51 to 48 – over Trump in 2020.
Trump defeated Clinton in a squeaker in 2016 – 47.6 per cent to 47.4 per cent.
Wisconsin
Trump is also leading in Wisconsin – which has 10 Electoral Votes up for grabs.
Trump is ahead of Harris in the predominantly white state with significant Black, Asian and Hispanic communities with 1.6 million votes compared to her 1.5 million votes.
Trump here too fixated on economy, immigration and crime.
Harris, on the other hand, argued she would turn the page on the Trump era and made her pitch on abortion rights and democracy.
Trump in 2016 defeated Clinton by a single percentage point – 48 per cent to 47 per cent.
In 2020, Biden defeated Trump by less than a percentage point – 49.4 per cent to 48.8 per cent.
With 96 per cent of the vote in, it seems Trump is set to repeat his 2016 victory.
With inputs from agencies
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