Trump Wins 'Blue Wall' Following Sun Belt Victory... On the Verge of Entering the White House

Trump Wins Pennsylvania with Most Electoral Votes
Only 3 Steps Away from the 'Magic Number' 270 Electoral Votes

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, edged closer to the White House on the 5th (local time) by winning in Sunbelt battleground states (North Carolina and Georgia) and securing Pennsylvania, the biggest battleground. In other Blue Wall battleground states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, where vote counting is still underway, Vice President Kamala Harris is trailing, solidifying Trump's lead.

According to AP News and others, as of 4:28 PM Korean time on the 6th, with 95% of the votes counted in Pennsylvania, Trump secured 51% of the vote, confirming his victory. Consequently, the 19 electoral votes from Pennsylvania went to Trump. Earlier, Trump had won in two of the seven key battleground states that would decide this year's election?North Carolina and Georgia?securing 32 electoral votes from those states. This brings Trump's current total electoral votes to 267. To win the U.S. presidential election, a candidate must secure a majority of 270 out of the 538 electoral votes allocated across the 50 states and Washington D.C.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

While the seven major battleground states were neck and neck in the early stages of vote counting, the balance gradually shifted toward Trump as counting progressed. In particular, Pennsylvania, which carries the largest number of 19 electoral votes among the battleground states, initially showed Vice President Harris leading by around 60 percentage points, but the lead flipped around noon.

Michigan, classified as a Rust Belt battleground state along with Pennsylvania, currently shows Trump leading with 52.5% to Harris's 45.8% with 73% of the votes counted. Wisconsin also shows Trump ahead with 51.3% to Harris's 47.3% based on 90% of votes counted. Experts had previously identified Harris's realistic path to victory as holding onto the three Midwestern Blue Wall Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, but losing Pennsylvania has significantly dimmed those prospects.

Trump's lead is also confirmed in the remaining battleground states. In Arizona, with 52% of votes counted, Trump leads slightly with 50.3% to Harris's 48.9%. Nevada, which has the fewest electoral votes at six, also shows Trump ahead with 51.6% to Harris's 48% based on 80% of votes counted. The Republican Party has also regained the majority in the U.S. Senate after four years.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Appearing at the Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida, where supporters had gathered, Trump celebrated his victory, saying, "(This moment) will help heal this country," and promised, "I will fight for you every day. I will usher in America's golden age."

Vice President Harris was initially expected to watch the vote count at her alma mater, Howard University, but reportedly did not appear at the election night party as planned. Cedric Richmond, co-chair of Harris's campaign, told supporters gathered at Howard that Harris would not give a speech that night but would speak the following day.

Currently, The New York Times (NYT) projects, based on battleground state vote counts, historical voting patterns of remaining ballots, and population distribution, that Trump will win 306 electoral votes to Harris's 232, with a 95% probability of victory.