US Elections: How 7 Swing States Secured Donald Trump's Return to the White House | World News

Donald Trump won all seven swing states in his first victory speech on Tuesday in Florida. His victories in these states proved crucial to his return to the White House.

What are Swing States?

These are states where either a Democratic or Republican candidate could win in statewide elections. Because these states traditionally favor neither “blue” Democrats nor “red” Republicans, they are referred to as “purple” states. With only a fifth of the American population, these states ultimately decide the next US president.

Seven of those states in this year's election are: Pennsylvania (19), Nevada (6), North Carolina (16), Georgia (16), Arizona (11), Michigan (15) and Wisconsin (10).

According to the Associated PressPresident Trump won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, with margins in Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan. With the final rounds of voting currently underway, Trump is expected to consolidate his lead and secure a victory.

How did swing states vote?

Pennsylvania: Trump took back this crucial state from Democrats this year, securing 50.9% of the popular vote and all 19 Electoral College votes. The polls remained closely contested, with Kamala Harris receiving 48.2% of the vote. The state was won by Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012.

Pennsylvania's electorate is a mix of urban, suburban and rural voters with varying political views. For Joe Biden, winning back Pennsylvania was crucial to winning the US presidency in 2020.

North Carolina: The southeastern state also saw a tough battle between President Trump and Kamala Harris. The Republican won 51.1% of the popular vote, winning the 16 Electoral College votes. Harris trailed with 47.7% of the vote. The state has seen an influx of young professionals in the technology and financial sectors, resulting in a more diverse population.

Georgia: In this traditional Republican stronghold, Trump managed to retake the state from Democrats by securing 50.8% of the vote. Harris trailed with 48.5% of the vote. The state is known for its well-developed and diverse population, with a significant increase in minorities and younger voters.

Nevada: Trump turned this state “red,” removing it from decades of Democratic dominance. He leads this western US state with 51.5% of the vote, while Harris received 46.8% of the vote. Nevada voters supported Democrats Obama and Clinton over current US President Joe Biden.

This western US state has a large Hispanic population, a growing Asian American community and a strong labor union presence. These groups often lean Democratic but are reportedly politically diverse.

Arizona: Trump is in the lead with 50.9% of the vote in the Mexican border state hit by the immigration crisis. Harris trails at 48.3% as Democrats lost about 1% of the vote in this year's election. After solidly supporting Republican candidates from 2000 to 2016, the state flipped to Biden in 2020 by a narrow margin of just 0.3% of the vote.

Wisconsin: Trump is leading in this “rust belt” state with 51% of the vote. Harris trails after receiving 47.6% of the vote. Wisconsin swung to Trump in 2016 and then to Biden in 2020, by razor-thin margins in both elections. Trump's promise to bring manufacturing jobs to the U.S. was well received in the state, which has been hit by industrial decline in recent decades.

Michigan: From this traditional Democratic stronghold, Trump is currently leading with 51.1% of the vote. Harris trails with 47.2% of the vote. Michigan, once part of the Democrats' “blue wall,” flipped to Trump in 2016 only to swing back to Biden in 2020. This “rust belt” nation is also affected by manufacturing job losses and liberalized global trade policies.

(With inputs from AP)