Click the map to create your own at By Glynn Wilson –
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democrat Joe Biden pulled ahead of Republican Donald Trump overnight in Georgia and Pennsylvania and his lead is holding up in Nevada, putting him in a position to potentially take the presidency in the Electoral College.
His lead shrank in Arizona on Thursday, however, calling into question the Associated Press early call that Biden would win that Sun Belt state. Yet Biden is still set to win Arizona too, and the election could be called for Biden on Friday or over the weekend.
A problem is, the longer the vote counting and the wait drags on, and the closer the vote in these battleground states, the more likely that there will be recounts and legal challenges that drag the process out even longer. And then there is the threat of violence between protesters in cities where the mail-in votes are still being counted and elsewhere.
But so far the biggest news of the day is that Biden has pulled ahead in Pennsylvania based on the strength of mail-in votes now counted in urban and suburban counties in and around Philadelphia, where projections were that about 75 percent of those votes would be from Democrats.
Biden now leads Trump in Pennsylvania by the razor thin margin of 5,587 votes, 49.4 percent to 49.3 percent. The margin is even closer in Georgia, where Biden leads by only 1,097 votes, still a virtual tie in the percentage, 49.4 to 49.4 percent.
In Arizona, where we are still waiting on the votes from the Phoenix metro area, Biden’s lead is stronger. He’s ahead by 47,052 votes, 50.1 to 48.5 percent.
In Nevada, which could potentially decide the election with its six electoral votes, Biden leads Trump by 11,438 votes, 49.4 to 48.5 percent.
We could find out enough results on Friday for the press and media to call the election for Biden, but that won’t stop Trump from trying to mount legal challenges and call the election “fixed” and “fraudulent,” firing up his armed followers to take to the streets.
It’s too bad that North Carolina’s complicated election rules have made it the final state expected to report next week, because mail-in votes in the Charlotte area could also add up to victory for Biden much like what happened in Atlanta and Philadelphia. By the time that state reports, the results of this election will most likely be a foregone conclusion. As of now, Trump leads in North Carolina by 76,737 votes, 50 to 48.6 percent.
If these results hold up, Biden would take the presidency from Trump and take back the White House for the Democrats with 306 electoral votes to only 217 for Trump, not counting North Carolina.
Projected Electoral College Map based on current results: NAJ
