US Election: Trump Takes Lead as Poll Results Roll In
Republican candidate gains momentum, with significant support from Hispanic voters and those prioritizing the economy, while the GOP secures Senate control.
- The Republican candidate secures a key battleground state
- The GOP gains control of the U.S. Senate by flipping Democratic seats in West Virginia and Ohio
- Trump performs well among Hispanic voters and economically struggling households
Republican candidate Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the battleground state of North Carolina, edging out Democrat Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.
This win puts Trump closer to completing a stunning political comeback.
While the results are still up in the air in six other states that will decide the overall outcome, Trump has shown broad support across the country, securing 230 Electoral College votes to Harris’ 210 as of 5:48 a.m. Ghana time.
To clinch the presidency, a candidate needs at least 270 votes.
Trump’s chances grew stronger as Decision Desk HQ projected his win in Georgia, narrowing Harris’ path to victory to a few critical states in the Rust Belt: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin where she was trailing.
In another win for the Republican Party, the GOP secured control of the U.S. Senate, flipping Democratic seats in West Virginia and Ohio. Meanwhile, the fight for control of the House of Representatives remains too close to call, with Republicans holding a slim majority.
Trump made significant inroads among traditionally Democratic groups, including Hispanic voters and those in lower-income households affected by rising prices.
Exit polls show Trump garnered 45% of the Hispanic vote nationally, a 13-point gain from 2020, while 31% of voters said the economy was their top concern—and overwhelmingly backed Trump on that issue.
Economy-related concerns weighed heavily on voters, with 45% saying their financial situation had worsened in the past four years. Among these voters, Trump led Harris by an 80%-to-17% margin.
As the results continued to unfold, global investors began factoring in a Trump victory. U.S. stock futures, the dollar, and Treasury yields rose, with analysts pointing to these market movements as indicative of Trump’s likely win.
Jens Nordvig, CEO of Exante, noted, “Our county-by-county analysis in key states suggests that Harris is underperforming compared to 2020, and this trend is likely contributing to market expectations of a Trump victory, as reflected in bond and dollar movements.”
