UPDATED at 10:00 a.m. PT with the latest returns from The Associated Press and other news – refresh for developments.
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ELECTORAL COLLEGE (270 to win)
Donald Trump: 292
Kamala Harris: 224
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Donald Trump declared victory early Wednesday after swiftly sweeping red states for a strong early Election Day lead, followed by a decisive, late-night breach of the “blue wall” that the Kamala Harris campaign had pinned its hopes on as Pennsylvania turned decisively red. Wisconsin followed around 3:15 a.m. PT, breaking for Trump and pushing him past the 270 votes needed to secure the presidency.
Fox News was first to call the overall race for the Republican, who took the stage at his Mar-a-Lago estate early Wednesday morning to celebrate not just a stunning return to the White House, but GOP control of the Senate for the first time in four years.
“Frankly, I believe this was the greatest political movement of all time, and now it’s going to reach a new level of important because we’re going to help our country heal,” Trump said. “We’re going to fix our borders, we’re going to fix everything about our country. … Look what happened, is this crazy?”
Trump started surging Tuesday evening as West Coast polls closed – a throwback to 2020 – but this time there would be no drawn-out wave of mail-in and absentee ballots that defined the mid-COVID election. Nor would there appear to be months of uncertainty and dispute, as many had predicted had Trump lost.
Instead, he won not just the necessary electoral votes, but the popular vote as well, with a more than five million-ballot lead. “It’s a great feeling of love,” Trump said of the nationwide tally.
“I think we just witnessed what has to be the greatest political comeback in American history,” Vice President-elect JD Vance said when Trump turned the mic over for a moment. “We’re going to see the greatest economic comeback in history under Donald Trump’s leadership.”
Here’s how Election Day unfolded:
Michigan Called for Trump
From 10:00 a.m.: The AP called Michigan for Trump, solidifying his Blue Wall that he won in 2016.
Wisconsin Goes Red, Solidifies Victory
From 3:13 a.m.: The AP called Wisconsin for Trump early Wednesday morning, officially pushing him past the 270 electoral college votes needed to secure the presidency.
Pennsylvania Called for Trump
From 11:18 p.m.: Fox News, CNN, CBS News and ABC all called Pennsylvania – a key “blue wall” state for Democrats – for Trump, all but sealing the election for the Republican. The Associated Press called the state several minutes later, and though Trump had not yet officially reached 270 electoral votes, Harris did not appear to have a path to victory.
Harris Doesn’t Concede, But Mark Cuban Does
From 10:58 p.m.: The networks reported that Harris left her campaign headquarters at Howard Univesity hours before the race was called – and had not yet reported that she made a concession call to Trump, or even acknowledged a Republican victory, as ballots were still being counted in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada. But Mark Cuban, who had been an outspoken advocate for the Democrats’ at the end of their campaign, posted to X that Trump had won “fair and square,” and congratulated his apparent new adviser Elon Musk:
Fox News Called It First
From 10:53 p.m. PDT: Fox News has made its projection – calling the race for Donald Trump just before 11 p.m. PT. But no other major media outlet had made its call deep into Wednesday morning; the AP still had a handful of key states to tally well after 1 a.m. PT.
Republicans Win Control of the Senate
From 9:55 p.m. PDT: Republicans seized control of the Senate for the first time since the last time Donald Trump was president, flipping Democratic seats and battling off strong challengers, according to the AP. A surprise battleground pushed Republicans over the top in Nebraska, where incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer parried a strong challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn.
Jake Tapper Tapping, Jon Stewart Stewing: Trump’s Strong Start Rattles Media
From 6:35 p.m.: Trump’s swift capture of several red states – and strong early showing in swing-state races – had anchors and pundits tapdancing Tuesday night as West Coast polls closed. CNN’s Jake Tapper was visibly stunned when David Chalian told him that there was a 20 point swing toward Trump among Georgia independents compared with 2020 results, when Joe Biden won the group by nine. Tappers eyebrows shot up, followed by a long moment of silence. “Wow, that is really significant,” he said, adding, “That independent swing is wild, it’s a huge swing.” When Iowa was called for Donald Trump before 8 p.m. on “It’s not looking good for Kamala Harris,” guest analyst Ana Kasparian said on the Amazon live broadcast with Brian Williams. And on “The Daily Show” live broadcast, hours before the race was called, Jon Stewart was exasperated, dropping several f-bombs and saying: “This is not the end, we have to regroup, we have to continue to fight.”
Kamala Harris’ Hasty Campaign Praised by Rachel Maddow and – Jesse Watters?
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Fox News’ Jesse Watters both praised the hastily built Harris campaign for its – wait, Jesse Watters? Yes, the “Jesse Watters Primetime” host complimented the Democratic nominee early on Tuesday night, even if it was strongly backhanded: “You would think this would be a runway Donald Trump victory. I don’t understand, only 13% of Americans feel they are getting ahead financially, that Kamala Harris is even competitive … bravo to the Democrat machine to make this race competitive.” Maddow, meanwhile, reflected at length on the “campaign like no other.”
Elon Musk Spends Election Night With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
From 2:05 p.m.: Elon Musk spent Election Night with his preferred candidate, Donald Trump. The billionaire industrialist was among a small group at the Palm Beach, Florida, compound, where Trump was expected to address them. But Musk started celebrating a potential Trump presidency long before several key states were called, evoking the “let that sink in” meme he embodied when he took over Twitter – this time, celebrating his potential role as a White House influencer on X.
Truth Social Stock Goes on a Wild Ride
From 1:37 p.m.: Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, home to the Republican nominee’s Truth Social app, rapidly increased and decreased throughout the day, ultimately closing Tuesday down 1.16%. But that was after shares jumped nearly 19% in early trading, whiplashing back down 15% in a mere 15 minutes, triggering the Nasdaq to halt trading for the day.
Capitol Police Arrest Man With Torch, Flare Gun at Visitor Center
From 11:16 a.m.: U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man who showed up to the Washington, D.C., visitor center smelling “like fuel” and armed with potential incendiary devices. The facility was closed for the day and police were still investigating.
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Halle Berry, Kumali Nanjiani, Andy Cohen and other celebs shared photos in celebration of Election Day. You can check them out here. One MSNBC correspondent got a live-shot when he randomly bumped into Paul Rudd at a polling place in Pennsylvania.
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PREVIOUSLY, from 9 a.m. PT:
Trump walked into Tuesday with a slim lead in Arizona; Harris holds even narrower deficits in Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin. In Michigan and Pennsylvania, the widely different visions for America’s next four years of federal governance are statistically tied. And nationally, they are separated by just over a single point in Harris’ favor, according to the most recent aggregate polls.
Top issues on voters’ minds are the economy, immigration and abortion rights – anyone remember the 1990s? – but both candidates have spun the election as a fight for the very existence of an American republic, ruled by the democratic process, as we know it.
With the 2020 election fresh in everyone’s memory, the candidates’ legal teams are braced for disputes, while authorities are preparing for possible unrest. A drawn-out, days-long process might start to feel familiar – especially to those who remember the 2000 election that was ultimately (and peacefully) decided by rthe Supreme Court.
