Republicans take control of Senate as Trump flips first battleground state in US elections
With the last polling stations now closed, the votes are being counted in the US presidential election. While many had expected a close race, early results seem to be pointing Donald Trump and his Republican Party towards a major victory.
Three swing states have already been called: Kamala Harris has won Virginia, while Trump has secured North Carolina and Georgia. This last state, with 16 electoral votes, is the first to change sides. In 2020, current US president Joe Biden narrowly won it.
At the time of writing, Trump has won 247 of the 270 electoral votes he needs to win a second term in the White House. With more than 90 per cent of the votes counted, he is on course to win Pennsylvania, the country's biggest swing state.
Senate control
Republicans also regained control of the Senate for the first time in four years. This plays an important role, not only in implementing government plans but also in appointing judges to the US Supreme Court.
The Democrats' only hope is to take control of the House of Representatives, where they could offer some resistance to Republican lawmakers. This race could go either way, with dozens of competitive races still undecided. Definitive results will take some time, as the counting of votes could take days.
© PHOTO KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP
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