Donald Trump Leads Early in 2024 Presidential Race, Securing 230 Electoral Votes as Kamala Harris Trails with 179

Agencies with inputs from AP, Washington, D.C., 06.11.24 : As the 2024 U.S. presidential election continues to unfold, former President Donald Trump has emerged ahead in the early race results, securing 230 electoral votes compared to 179 for Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. The Associated Press, reporting at 9:34 AM IST, noted that while Trump has dominated in traditional Republican strongholds, Harris has secured victories in Democratic bastions. The race remains tight, with key battleground states yet to report, and the outcome still uncertain.

Polls have closed in several critical states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Nevada—regions widely seen as pivotal to determining the election's final result. However, the AP reported that results from these states remain too early to call as voting continues, especially in the West, where millions are casting their ballots in person.

In the early hours of Election Day, Trump notched decisive wins in Florida—a state that has shifted further into the Republican column in recent years—along with Texas, South Carolina, and Indiana. Harris, on the other hand, triumphed in traditionally Democratic states such as New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois. The initial trends highlight a divided America, with voters facing a clear contrast between the two candidates’ visions for the future.

Trump’s focus on issues like immigration and inflation has resonated with his base, while Harris has centered her campaign on defending democracy and ensuring economic stability, promising to maintain President Biden’s policy course. Early exit polls suggest that Trump’s appeal among Black and Latino voters may have slightly increased compared to his 2020 performance, while Harris has faced some challenges in securing the same level of support from these groups that Joe Biden enjoyed four years ago.

Both candidates have focused much of their attention on a set of seven key battleground states. Five of these states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Georgia—were carried by Trump in 2016 but flipped to Biden in 2020. The other two, Nevada and North Carolina, were closely contested in both the 2020 and 2016 elections. These states will likely prove decisive in the race, as neither candidate is expected to secure an outright victory without winning a majority of votes in these areas.

Trump, who voted in Palm Beach, Florida, early on Election Day, expressed optimism about the results as he monitored the returns. Speaking to a Wisconsin radio station, he said, “I’m watching these results, and so far, so good.”

Harris, meanwhile, was in high spirits as she campaigned in key states, including making stops at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington. The Vice President, who would make history as the first woman, Black woman, and person of South Asian descent to become President, shared a lighthearted moment with her supporters, holding up a box of Doritos—her favorite snack—while engaging in phone banking efforts with volunteers.

The election is seen by many as a referendum on democracy itself, with Harris’ supporters driven by concerns over Trump’s anti-democratic rhetoric and his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. According to AP’s VoteCast survey of over 110,000 voters, Harris’ message that Trump represents a threat to the country’s democratic institutions may have struck a chord in critical areas. Many voters appear to be rallying behind the idea of safeguarding the nation’s democratic principles.

In contrast, Trump’s campaign has centered around restoring America’s economic prosperity, reducing immigration, and imposing tariffs on both allies and adversaries. He has promised to overhaul the federal bureaucracy, eliminating thousands of non-loyalist employees, and leading what would be the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.

Despite the smooth flow of voting in most states, there have been isolated reports of Election Day difficulties, including technical issues and minor delays at polling stations. Election officials have expressed confidence in the integrity of the process, but they remain on high alert for the possibility of foreign interference—especially from Russia and Iran—as well as domestic threats, including potential violence or cyberattacks.

Both Trump and Harris have armies of lawyers on standby, prepared for the possibility of post-election legal challenges, while federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have ramped up security in anticipation of potential unrest.

If Trump prevails, he would become the oldest president ever elected at 78, surpassing Joe Biden’s current record. Trump would also make history as the first U.S. president to be re-elected after losing a bid for a second term, an unprecedented feat in modern American history. Conversely, if Harris wins, she would become the first woman to hold the office of President, breaking barriers as a leader of historic significance.

As Election Day unfolds, the nation remains deeply divided, with voters casting ballots in the tens of millions. While Trump leads in the early results, Harris’ strong support in key Democratic states ensures the race will remain highly competitive in the coming hours and days.

With much still to be determined, all eyes are now on the battleground states, where the future of the country may soon be decided.

• In battleground state of Wisconsin, with 80% of the estimated vote tallied, Trump has 51% and Harris has 47.3% – Edison Research
• Democrat Ro Khanna wins reelection to US House in California's 17th Congressional District, reports AP
• Republicans win US Senate majority, seizing control of chamber for first time in 4 years, reports AP
• In battleground state of Georgia, with 92.3% of the estimated vote tallied, Trump has 50.8% and Harris has 48.3% – Edison Research Harris projected winner in Virginia (13 electoral votes) - NBC News
• Trump ahead in US presidential race: AP gives him 230 electoral votes, Harris gets 179
• Trump wins Idaho, Harris wins Washington State, AP reports
• AP projects Trump winner in battleground state of North Carolina (16 electoral votes)
• In battleground state of Pennsylvania, with 60.3% of the estimated vote tallied, Trump has 50.8% and Harris has 48.2%: Edison Research
• Kamala Harris projected winner in Colorado (10 electoral votes): Decision Desk HQ
• The first results are coming in for the US presidential election with Republican leader Donald Trump projected to notch up wins in Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Arkansas and Vice President Kamala Harris set to emerge victorious in Vermont, Delaware and New Jersey.
• Donald Trump wins Iowa : Former President Donald Trump won Iowa on Tuesday, claiming the state's six electoral votes. Formerly considered a swing state, Iowa has proved to be a clear example of Trump's appeal among Republican voters and his staying power in the GOP.
• Kamala Harris wins California: Kamala Harris won California on Tuesday, giving her the largest prize in the presidential election - 54 electoral votes.
• Kamala Harris wins New York: Vice President Kamala Harris won New York's presidential contest on Tuesday, picking up the state's 28 electoral votes.
• New York has now voted for the Democrat in every presidential contest since giving Ronald Reagan the nod in his landslide 1984 election.