Republican nominee Donald Trump has won North Carolina, securing the state’s 16 electoral votes in a closely watched race against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
This win comes just months after Hurricane Helene devastated the state, leaving a trail of destruction, displacing thousands, and resulting in over 200 deaths across the Southeastern U.S.
While Trump claimed victory in North Carolina, voters split their ticket by also electing Democratic candidate Josh Stein as governor, who defeated Republican Mark Robinson. North Carolina, historically leaning Republican in recent presidential elections, opted for Trump again, though he narrowly won the state in both 2016 and 2020. The only recent exception was in 2008 when Barack Obama carried the state.
Hurricane Helene, which struck in September, left widespread damage in its wake. Trump used the aftermath to criticize the Biden administration’s handling of federal disaster relief, making false claims that funds were diverted to migrants and that Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp had difficulty reaching President Biden for storm aid.
Harris rose to the Democratic ticket’s top spot following President Biden’s exit from the race in July. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper was considered as a possible running mate for Harris but withdrew to avoid transferring executive powers to Robinson, his lieutenant governor. Robinson, whose candidacy was marred by allegations of past offensive statements, has faced distancing from Trump amid controversy, though he denied the accusations.