US President-elect Donald Trump, on Sunday, won in Arizona, securing the final battleground state and pushing his total electoral vote tally to 312, well above his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, who garnered 226 votes. This victory, following a prolonged vote-counting process, marks Trump's sweep of all key swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada, and Wisconsin, shattering the so-called ‘blue wall’.
Trump's 312 electoral votes surpass his 2016 win over Hillary Clinton, with Arizona’s 11 votes flipping back to the Republican column after being won by Joe Biden in 2020. Despite nearly all results favouring Trump, Maricopa County officials estimate that vote counting will continue for about 10 more days.
During his campaign, Trump focused heavily on issues like border security, immigration, and crime linked to illegal immigration, topics that resonated deeply in Arizona amid a record migrant influx. His proposals included mass deportations, hiring an additional 10,000 border agents, and reallocating military funds to support border enforcement.
Arizona marks the sixth state that Trump has flipped from Biden’s 2020 victory, joining Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump also won North Carolina, a state he narrowly captured in 2020. He is set to be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.
In addition to his presidential victory, Trump’s success in the battleground states is part of a broader Republican resurgence. The GOP has regained control of the Senate, with 52 seats, compared to 47 for the Democrats. In the House, Republicans have secured 216 seats, just two shy of the majority, and are expected to secure full control in the coming days. This marks a remarkable comeback for Trump, four years after his loss in the 2020 election.
Trump secured a decisive victory in the Presidential election, surpassing his Democratic rival Harris. With this victory, Trump is set to become the 47th president of the United States.
The 78-year-old Republican leader also led Harris by around 5 million votes in the popular vote. “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” Trump declared to a jubilant crowd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in Florida on Wednesday.
Trump’s political journey had seemed in jeopardy after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, which was fueled by his baseless claims of election fraud. However, his return to power marks a significant political comeback.
Trump, who has made no secret of his intention to overhaul the executive branch, has vowed to remove civil servants he deems disloyal and to use federal agencies to investigate his political opponents - policies that have drawn concerns over the independence of such institutions.
Once the 2024 election results are certified by Congress on January 6, 2025, Trump will be sworn in alongside his vice-presidential pick, US Senator JD Vance, on Inauguration Day, January 20. Throughout his campaign, Trump emphasized loyalty in selecting his administration, offering key positions to high-profile supporters like Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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