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Trump declares victory in US presidential election, secures key states

FORMER President Donald Trump has declared victory in the 2024 US presidential election after leading in key states.

Trump, while addressing a jubilant crowd of supporters in Florida, claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate” after securing pivotal wins in battleground states Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, which left his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, with limited options to reach the required electoral votes.

He was joined on the stage by many of his people, including his running mate JD Vance, his wife Melania Trump and campaign staff.

As of press time, BBC reported that Trump has garnered 68,769,655 popular votes, representing 51.1 per cent while Harris has polled 63,551,488 votes (47.2 per cent).

The popular vote refers to here, represents the total number of individual votes cast by citizens across the country for each candidate but still doesn’t guarantee a candidate’s victory. 

In the U.S. presidential election, a candidate needs to secure at least 270 electoral votes out of a total 538 to win the presidency. Each state, along with Washington D.C., has a set number of electoral votes based on its population, and these votes add up to 538 across the nation.

Currently, Donald Trump has 266 electoral votes—just four short of the 270 needed to win—while Kamala Harris has 219. 

“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” Trump told his supporters, following Fox News’ projection of his win, though other networks have yet to confirm the outcome as states across the US are still counting ballots.

“We’ve made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” Trump said. “It’s a political victory that our country has never seen before”

His success in these swing states marks a significant comeback after his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.

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In a speech punctuated with campaign slogans and chants, Trump pledged to lead the country into what he called a “golden age,” vowing to address issues such as border security. 

“We’re going to help our country heal,” adding that “this is a magnificent victory for the American people, that will allow us to make America great again.”




     

     

    Meanwhile, Vice President Harris has indicated that she will not speak today, as disheartened supporters exited her watch party, according to BBC. 

    Early projections also indicate that Republicans are set to regain control of the Senate, potentially shifting the legislative balance of power.

    Meanwhile, in recent developments, Minnesota has been projected for Harris, after securing her an additional 10 electoral college votes. 

    Minnesota is the home state of her running mate, Tim Walz. Additionally, New Jersey, a Democratic stronghold, has also been called in Harris’s favor, adding 14 more electoral college votes to her tally, according to BBC.

    Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

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