Trump wins 312 votes, Harris 226

WASHINGTON — Republican Donald Trump has won the presidential election in Arizona, Edison Research and US networks projected on Saturday, completing a sweep of all seven battleground states and locking in a decisive Electoral College victory over Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Trump, who had secured the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House early on Wednesday, now has what is expected to be a final total of 312 votes to Harris' 226.

In addition to Arizona, Trump won the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Nevada. In 2020, Joe Biden defeated Trump by winning six of the seven swing states — and narrowly losing North Carolina and won 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's 232.

Trump won 306 in his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton.

The Associated Press said Trump has won 74.6 million votes nationwide, or 50.5 percent, to Harris' 70.9 million, or 48 percent.

Meanwhile, Republicans on Saturday were close to clinching control of the US House of Representatives, a critical element for Trump to advance his agenda when he returns to the White House in January.

With votes still being counted from the Nov 5 general election, Republicans had won 213 seats in the 435-member House, according to Edison Research.

Republicans need to win five more seats to keep control of the House and they already have enough victories to wrest control of the US Senate from Democrats.

Edison Research said Democrats have won 205 seats so far, including projecting on Saturday that Representative Greg Stanton in Arizona had won reelection. Democrats would need to win 13 of the remaining 17 seats to take control.

Republican senators will decide next week who will serve as the party's leader in the Senate in 2025 with John Thune, John Cornyn and Rick Scott vying for the job.

Trump on Saturday ruled out reappointing two senior figures from his first administration, secretary of state Mike Pompeo and UN ambassador Nikki Haley.

Biden will meet with Trump at the White House in the Oval Office, the White House said on Saturday.

This type of meeting between the outgoing and incoming presidents is considered customary, but Trump did not invite Biden for one after making unsubstantiated election fraud claims that culminated in the Jan 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Trump also broke with precedent by skipping Biden's inauguration, but the White House has said the Democratic president will attend the upcoming ceremony.

After Congress certifies the Electoral College vote on Jan 6, Trump and his incoming vice-president, US Senator JD Vance, are due to take office on Jan 20.

Agencies via Xinhua