The US election is heading for a photo finish with both incumbent Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden yet to get past the Electoral College threshold -- the magic number of 270 needed to capture the presidency.
Biden took a slender lead in the key swing states of Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday morning, pushing him closer to an overall victory, while trump cried foul and claimed his majority is 'magically disappearing' thanks to 'surprise ballot dumps' in Democrat states. If Biden wins Michigan and Wisconsin and then takes Nevada -- which he is expected to but where the result will take at least until Thursday -- he will win the election. If he wins Michigan and Wisconsin and Georgia, where votes are still being counted, he will also win, as he will if he takes Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina.
The only way for Trump to win now is if he snatches back a lead in either Michigan or Wisconsin then wins more, or if he wins North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada, and then Pennsylvania, where a result is not likely until Friday.
In Wisconsin, Biden is ahead with 49.59% of the vote to Trump's 48.94%. In Michigan, Biden has squeaked ahead 49.59% and Trump has 48.88% of the vote.Michigan holds significantly more electoral college votes - 16 - than Wisconsin's 10.Biden campaign officials welcomed the results in Michigan and Wisconsin but did not rush to claim victory. Biden asked Americans to keep their nerve and wait for a decisive result, saying that 'every vote matters'.
Trump could not hold himself back and held a party in the White House, where he declared victory and was reckless enough to call the election a 'fraud on the American people'. The president also said he was going to the Supreme Court to stop all vote counting immediately. he apprehends that the postal ballot will go against him and tip the scales.
Earlier, after Biden’s speech, Trump accused him of 'trying to steal the election', which was flagged almost immediately by Twitter as a 'misleading' statement as counting was still on.
The election will go down to the wire in the key swing states and the lead keeps bouncing between the two candidates in each state. Biden’s options have narrowed down and mostly revolve around recapturing Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the once-reliable “blue wall” states that Trump toppled four years ago. Another narrow path to victory passes through Arizona and Georgia, the Sun Belt states which Biden must win, adds the New York Times.
Trump’s victories in Florida, Ohio and Texas did not create a new path for him so much as close off the new shortcuts that Biden could have taken to victory. In remarks made at the White House, the president was adamant that he would hang onto Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — all states with significant percentages of ballots left to count.
His last chance for a flip is Nevada, which was expected to be a tight race, but one that is tilting towards Biden.
‘‘WE ARE LOOKING REALLY GOOD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU!" Trump tweeted.’’ He was watching the election results from the White House. "Stay in line, folks," tweeted Biden, "Stay in line," said his running mate senator Kamala Harris, who is of Indian-origin.
