Why AP called Florida for Trump
A strong across-the-board showing by Donald Trump helped propel the Republican former president to victory in Florida, once a preeminent swing state that has increasingly slipped out of Democrats’ grasp
WASHINGTON (AP) — A strong across-the-board showing by Donald Trump helped propel the Republican former president to victory in Florida, once a preeminent swing state that has increasingly slipped out of Democrats’ grasp. Exhibit A: Trump was on track to win the longtime Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County when The Associated Press called the race at 8:01 p.m. ET.
Trump not only improved on his 2020 performance in Republican areas of the state. He made inroads with voters in Florida's battleground areas and was on pace to outperform Vice President Kamala Harris in areas considered to be moderately Democratic. Trump led Harris by 11 percentage points with about 80% of the expected vote report when the race was called.
But his lead in Miami-Dade County was perhaps the most surprising — and the most dispiriting for Democrats. It's been decades since a Republican presidential contender carried the county, which Joe Biden won by by roughly 7 percentage points four years ago.
Over 81% of the vote had been counted in Florida when the AP called the race. Harris would have needed to get 73% of the outstanding vote left to be counted in order to overtake Trump's lead.
