WASHINGTON — The narrative of Donald Trump’s victory in Georgia, a crucial swing state, comes down to small margins. Four years prior, he faced a narrow defeat, losing by just under 12,000 votes. This time, he managed to turn the tide by slightly increasing his vote totals in numerous solidly Republican counties, particularly in smaller, rural areas. Ultimately, he secured 50.8% of the votes, leading to the state’s announcement for him at 12:58 a.m. on Wednesday.
As additional ballots continue to be counted, the race appears to be tightening; however, there weren’t enough votes remaining in areas that typically lean Democratic for Vice President Kamala Harris to bridge the gap. She would have needed to capture 56.1% of the remaining votes to surpass Trump’s lead. Moreover, she fell short of Joe Biden’s performance in several densely populated counties within the Atlanta metro area. For instance, Biden garnered 72.59% of the votes in Fulton County in 2020, whereas Harris received 71.89% when the race was called this year.
These minor differences proved significant enough to award Georgia’s 16 electoral votes to Trump. They also indicate that Georgia will likely remain a contentious battleground in the years ahead.
CANDIDATES: President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green).
WINNER: Trump
POLL CLOSING TIME: 7 p.m. ET.
ABOUT THE RACE: Historically, Georgia has been a Republican bastion. However, Biden’s narrow victory in 2020 made him the first Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 to win the state. This transformation stems from evolving demographics and the thriving population of the Atlanta metro area, turning Georgia into a competitive political landscape.
Despite this shift, there was no assurance that 2024 would mirror the previous election. Harris mounted a vigorous campaign in Georgia, but it seemed that the state might pose more of a challenge for her compared to other key battlegrounds.
Political dynamics in Georgia are unpredictable, and the state remained in play leading up to Election Day. The decline in influence of older, white Republicans has opened the door for a younger, more racially diverse electorate.
Nevertheless, the influx of newcomers to the Atlanta area, who often carry their political beliefs with them, did not significantly alter the underlying political fundamentals. Biden’s edge over Trump in 2020 was a mere 11,779 votes, allowing Trump to claim all 16 of Georgia’s electoral votes.
WHY THE RACE WAS CALLED: At the moment the race was declared, Trump maintained a commanding lead of 125,000 votes. Most early ballots in Georgia had already been counted, and his lead surpassed what Harris could realistically gain from remaining progressive votes. Trump performed slightly better than he did in 2020 across enough counties to overcome the previous electoral deficit of less than 12,000 votes in Georgia.