Washington: The frenetic presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump is speeding toward an unpredictable conclusion as millions of Americans cast votes to decide between two starkly different ideas for America.
Tuesday’s initial ballots reflected the national split. In the little hamlet of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, around midnight, the six registered voters divided their votes between Trump and Harris.
Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, arrived at the Palm Beach voting station and cast their ballots in Florida.
After voting, Trump told reporters he was “very confident” he would win the election and that “it won’t even be close.” He was also frustrated that it would take some time to announce the results.
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He did, however, express his willingness to accept a loss following Tuesday’s vote “if it’s a fair election,” once more voicing worries regarding the use of computerized voting machines.
After casting his ballot in Florida, Trump told reporters, reiterating a warning he has frequently made during his campaign: “If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I would be the first one to acknowledge it. So far, I think it’s been fair.”
Trump’s team has hinted that, like four years ago, he would announce his victory on election night even though millions of ballots have not yet been tabulated.
Echoing his deceptive statements from 2020, the former president has stated time and time again that any defeat could only be the result of vast fraud.
In each of the seven states, expected to decide the winner—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—opinion polls indicate that the candidates are tied.
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Reuters/Ipsos polls show that Trump is gaining by seven percentage points among men, while Harris is up by 12 percentage points among women.
It is also a contest for control of both houses of Congress. While Democrats are defending several seats in Republican-leaning states, Republicans have an easier time in the Senate, while the House of Representatives appears to be a toss-up.