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Donald Trump | Donald Trump speaking at the 2014 Conservativ… | Flickrwww.flickr.comDonald J. Trump has been declared the winner of the 2024 Presidential Election as of 8 a.m. ET. Media outlets, including the Associated Press, are reporting that Trump has secured his victory with 277 electoral college votes, effectively making a political comeback after his 2020 defeat to Joseph R. Biden Jr. Trump’s projected win was finalized early Wednesday morning when he won Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state, pushing him past the necessary 270 electoral votes.
Kamala Harris’s run for the presidency as the Democratic nominee has historical significance. The first Black and South Asian woman to serve as Vice President, Harris now becomes the second woman in eight years to receive the Democratic Party’s nomination and be defeated. Harris maintained a strong lead among Black voters, both men and women, and received the majority support of Latina women. However, her campaign was impacted by significant inroads Trump made with Latino voters.
Harris conceded the election in a call with Trump as reported by BBC, and she addressed the nation later in the day. In her concession speech, she urged her supporters to accept the election results and never give up on the fight for freedom. "On the campaign, I would often say when we fight, we win. But here’s the thing, here’s the thing. Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up, don’t ever give up, don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place," Harris said.
Later on in her speech, she stated, "This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together."
Photo by Connor Gan on UnsplashThe Republican Party regained control of the Senate with key victories in Ohio, West Virginia, and Nebraska. These races were decided by candidates Bernie Moreno in Ohio, Jim Justice in West Virginia, and incumbent Deb Fischer in Nebraska, all of whom secured their seats in highly competitive races. The GOP’s control of the Senate solidifies their legislative power, enabling them to have a more significant influence on national policy and judicial appointments.
Photo by Element5 Digital on UnsplashA notable outcome of this election is the swing among Latino voters toward Trump. Latino men, in particular, shifted in Trump’s favor for the first time, contributing to his broader support base. In 2020, Biden had won Latino men by a margin of 23 points, but this year, Trump won this demographic, indicating a major change. Overall, Trump received 45% of the Latino vote nationwide, while Harris garnered 53%. This result is a marked improvement from 2020 when Trump lost the Latino vote by 33 points (32% to Biden’s 65%). The shift is one of the strongest GOP performances among Latinos since George W. Bush in 2004, who won 44% of Latino votes.
Latina women still leaned toward Harris but did so by smaller margins than they did for Clinton or Biden. The results signal challenges for the Democratic Party, which has traditionally relied on strong Latino support. The substantial swing among Latino voters—especially Latino men—may lead Democrats to reassess their strategies and policies concerning this key demographic.
Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on UnsplashAbortion rights were a major issue on ballots across several states, with voters in 10 states deciding on amendments related to reproductive rights. Here’s a summary of key decisions:
- Maryland: Voters approved an amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, ensuring long-term protection for reproductive freedom. Maryland’s Question 1, backed by a Democrat-controlled legislature, establishes a broad right to abortion and related healthcare services.
- New York: The state passed an Equal Rights Amendment that not only protects abortion rights but also prevents discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, and pregnancy. Proposition 1 reinforces New York’s commitment to reproductive rights.
- Michigan: Michigan voters expanded the pro-abortion rights majority on the state Supreme Court, a move that further strengthens the protections for reproductive rights in the state.
- Colorado: Colorado voters approved Amendment 79, which repeals the ban on public funding for abortions, allowing state employees and Medicaid recipients to access abortion services under state insurance. This amendment required a 55% supermajority to pass.
- Missouri: Missouri voters approved Amendment 3, which restores access to abortion up to fetal viability, reversing the state’s total abortion ban. The amendment also protects other aspects of reproductive healthcare, including contraception and miscarriage care.
- Arizona: Proposition 139 was passed, ending Arizona’s 15-week abortion ban and protecting the right to abortion up to fetal viability. This decision came after organizers submitted over 820,000 signatures for a constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion rights in Arizona.
a large group of people holding up signsPhoto by Gayatri Malhotra on UnsplashThree states, however, rejected proposed amendments to protect or expand abortion rights:
- Florida: Voters turned down Amendment 4, which aimed to guarantee a right to abortion up to fetal viability. The measure needed a 60% supermajority to pass but came close at 57%, signaling a majority support for the measure, but not enough to get past the required supermajority threshold. Governor Ron DeSantis opposed the amendment, and his administration actively campaigned against it.
- South Dakota: Voters rejected Constitutional Amendment G, which would have guaranteed abortion rights in the first trimester and allowed regulations in the second trimester related to physical health. Some reproductive rights advocates argued the measure was too restrictive.
- Nebraska: Nebraska voters rejected Initiative 439, which would have established a constitutional right to abortion up to fetal viability. Instead, they passed Initiative 434, a more restrictive measure that bans most abortions after 12 weeks, with exceptions for cases of sexual assault, incest, and medical emergencies.
Across the board, abortion rights amendments passed in seven out of the ten states, signaling a strong push in several regions to protect reproductive rights at the state level.
Photo by Joshua Sukoff on UnsplashThe election also saw historic wins for diverse representation:
- Cindy Nava became the first former DACA recipient elected to the New Mexico Legislature.
- Gabby Salinas became the first Latina LGBTQ woman to serve in Tennessee’s House of Representatives.
- Luz Rivas became the first Latina to represent California’s 29th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Lisa Blunt Rochester made history in Delaware as the first Black person and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from her state.
- Ruben Gallego is leading in Arizona in a contentious U.S. Senate race. With only 69% of the votes tallied, it’s too soon to call.
These achievements reflect a broadening of diversity in elected positions, showing progress in both racial and LGBTQ+ representation across various states.
The Georgia House of Representatives on Wikimedia Commons
Latino candidates saw significant success at various levels of government:
- Analise Ortiz won a seat in Arizona’s State Senate, representing LD-24.
- Delia Ramirez was elected to the U.S. House for Illinois’s 3rd District.
- Darren Soto and Greg Casar both secured re-elections for the U.S. House in Florida and Texas, respectively.
- Carlos Guillermo Smith won a seat in Florida’s State Senate, SD-17.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won another term representing New York’s 14th Congressional District.
- Mary Ann Santos was elected to the Georgia State House, representing HD-117.
- Saira Draper won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives, representing HD-90.
- Jackie Espinosa was elected as Mayor of Kissimmee, Florida.
- Gabriella Romero won a seat in the New York State Assembly, representing Assembly District 109 (AD-109).
- Kristen Gonzalez was re-elected to the New York State Senate, representing Senate District 59 (SD-59).
- Jessica González-Rojas was re-elected to the New York State Assembly, representing Assembly District 34 (AD-34).
- Celia Israel was elected as Travis County Tax Assessor and Collector in Texas.
- Carlos Guillermo Smith won a seat in the Florida State Senate, representing Senate District 17 (SD-17).
- Adriano Espaillat was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 13th District (NY-13).
- Jonathan Rivera was elected to the New York State Assembly, representing Assembly District 149 (AD-149).
- Manny De Los Santos won a seat in the New York State Assembly, representing Assembly District 72 (AD-72).
- Emily Randall, an openly LGBTQ+ Latina, won the race for Washington's 6th Congressional District.
These victories highlight the growing political influence of the Latino community and represent a significant step toward more diverse and representative governance at all levels.
The combination of Trump’s re-election, shifts in Latino voter alignment, state-level abortion rights amendments, and historic wins for diverse representation collectively illustrate a transformative election year that will likely shape the U.S. political landscape for years to come.
Photo by Edmond Dantès
According to CNN, the last polls closed as of 1:16 a.m. ET. Including Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Alaska. Each candidate needs 270 electoral votes, and the latest projections reflect that Trump is leading with 246 votes while Harris has achieved 187 electoral votes.
CNN's projections are calling Vermont, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, Illinois, New York, Colorado, California, Oregon, Hawaii, Virginia, and New Mexico for Harris, and calling Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, South Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Utah, Montana, Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, and Idaho for Trump.
Analise Ortiz won for Arizona State Senate, LD-24, Delia Ramirez won for U.S. House of Representatives, IL-03, Darren Soto won re-election for U.S. House of Representatives, FL-09, Greg Casar won re-election for U.S. House of Representatives, TX-35, Mary Ann Santos won for Georgia State House, HD-117, Saira Draper won for Georgia House of Representatives, HD-90, Gabby Salinas has made history as the first Latina LGBTQ woman to be elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, HD-96, Jackie Espinosa won Kissimmee Mayor (FL), Gabriella Romero won for State Assembly, AD-109, Kristen Gonzalez won re-election to the New York State Senate, SD-59, Jessica González-Rojas won re-election to the New York State Assembly, AD-34, and Celia Israel won Travis County Tax-Assessor and Collector (TX).
NBC News projects that Question 1 has passed in Maryland, which proposes adding a new article to the state’s Constitution, ensuring a right to reproductive freedom, including decisions related to preventing, continuing, or ending a pregnancy. In New York, they project that Proposition 1 has passed, which is a broad equal rights amendment that would ban discrimination and establish a right to abortion and other reproductive health care. Both of these measures aim to reinforce reproductive rights and equal treatment under state law. As of 1:00 a.m. ET, NBC News projected that Arizona's Proposition 139 has passed, which is set to protect abortion rights up to the point of fetal viability, as well as Nevada's Question 6, set to establish a constitutional right to abortion up to 24 weeks.
CNN’s national exit poll shows that Latino voters are favoring Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump in the election but by a smaller margin than past Democratic candidates. Harris currently holds just over half of Latino voter support, while in 2020, Biden captured around 65%. The shift is especially noticeable among Latino men, with about 54% now backing Trump, compared to their support for Biden in the previous election. For Latina women, around 60% say they voted for Harris, a slight decrease from the 70% who voted for Biden in 2020.
Photo by Brands&People on UnsplashAccording to NBC News, more than 30,000 absentee and early ballots are being recounted in Milwaukee after officials found that 13 vote-counting machines weren’t properly locked. Milwaukee Mayor’s Office Communications Director Jeff Fleming explained at a press conference that the recount was ordered as a safety measure, with no evidence of tampering expected. This recount may push the final count into early Wednesday morning.
Voting was paused at five locations in DeKalb County, Georgia, after bomb threats were reported, along with two other sites that aren’t polling places. Police are checking all seven locations for safety. CNN reported that DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond stated they’re committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to vote will have the chance to do so, and every vote will count. The county's Office of Voter Registration and Elections announced the temporary suspension of voting at these locations until police confirm they’re safe to reopen. Executive Director Keisha Smith added that the county is seeking a court order to extend voting hours at the affected sites.
As reported by CNN, the Harris campaign communicated there’s a strong turnout among Puerto Ricans and students in Pennsylvania, adding to the high overall turnout in Philadelphia. At Lehigh University near Allentown, voting lines stretched to seven hours, prompting the campaign to send supporters to keep students in line and push for extended voting hours. This high turnout of Puerto Ricans specifically could be linked to Trump’s inflammatory rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27, where racist comments were made about Puerto Ricans, Latinos in general, immigrants, and other groups.
Photo by luis gomes
As reported by several media outlets, a software glitch affecting ballot scanners in rural Cambria County, Pennsylvania, led to a surge of conspiracy theories about election fraud, despite county officials’ assurances that all votes would be counted. The issue prevented on-site scanning, but voters could still use paper ballots, which would be securely stored and counted later. The county extended voting hours to 10 p.m. to accommodate voters affected by delays. Despite official statements clarifying that the issue was a technical error, election deniers circulated false claims online, comparing the incident to a similar malfunction in Arizona in 2022.
In the early hours of Election Day, canvassers from Poder Latinx, a nonprofit focused on building Latino political power, were out in Maricopa County, Arizona, urging residents in predominantly Latino neighborhoods to head to the polls. They planned to continue their efforts until 5 p.m., just before polls closed at 7 p.m., aiming to ensure maximum voter participation. Yadira Sanchez, executive director of Poder Latinx, expressed optimism to a New York Time reporter, noting that Arizona was “on pace to break record turnout.”
This article is ongoing and it will continuously be updated throughout Election Night.
