WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) — Donald Trump stands just 19 electoral votes shy of the presidency after a string of swing state victories, according to projections by UPI and CVoter.
In addition to Florida and Ohio that were called previously for Trump, UPI and CVoter project he will win Iowa, Georgia and North Carolina. It is also projected Hillary Clinton will win Nevada.
The electoral count now stands at 251-215 in favor of Trump, with 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
The Florida victory was imperative for Trump coming into Tuesday and polls there showed a close race. By virtue of capturing the nation’s largest swing state, with 29 electoral votes, he opens several paths through the Electoral College to reach the 270 threshold for victory.
In winning Ohio, Trump captures a state that has long been at the heart of the Republican path to the White House. In fact, no Republican has ever won the presidency without its 18 electoral votes.
For Clinton, Nevada, Virginia and Colorado were states she had led for months, though it remained a tight race in each. They add a combined 28 electoral votes to her total.
Other battleground states still remain too close to call.
The remaining as-yet uncalled battleground states include Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Michigan, meaning Clinton can ill afford losses in any of them, especially Pennsylvania, the largest battleground state left on the map — and one where the candidates are separated by only a few thousand votes out of millions cast.
In a show of just how close Trump is to claiming victory, Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes alone would propel him to the presidency.
For a map of the states already called, click here.
Elsewhere, Republicans have already retained their majority in the House of Representatives and are closing in on retaining control of the Senate. There are four Senate races that are still too close to call. Democrats must run the table in order to reach a 51-seat majority.
