Democratic challenger Joseph R. Biden was closing in on clinching enough Electoral College votes to defeat President Trump as ballot-counting across the country continued Saturday.
The most closely-watched states were Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada, where Mr. Biden held narrow leads.
The former vice president held a projected 264-214 electoral vote lead over Mr. Trump, according to The Associated Press, putting him one additional state away from securing the 270 votes needed if his lead in Arizona holds.
Mr. Biden could also surpass 270 votes if he clinches Pennsylvania even if the president catches and passes him in Arizona, which is the one state where the Democrat’s lead was narrowing.
Late Friday, Mr. Biden said he was on track to win and said Americans have given him a “mandate” to tackle COVID-19, the economy, climate change and systemic racism.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump disagreed.
“I won this election, by a lot!” the president said on Twitter in all capital letters.
Mr. Biden overtook Mr. Trump in Georgia and Pennsylvania early Friday as additional ballots from the Democratic-leaning Atlanta and Philadelphia areas were counted.
On Saturday, Mr. Biden had a 49.4% to 49.3% lead over Mr. Trump in Georgia, a margin of about 7,200 votes, with 99% of the estimated votes in.
State officials expect things to head to a recount, which can be requested if the margin between the two candidates is 0.5% or less of the votes cast.
In Pennsylvania, Mr. Biden had a 49.6% to 49.1% lead, a margin of about 29,000 votes, with 96% of the vote reported. There would be an automatic recount if the margin is 0.5% or less of the total votes cast.
Mr. Trump carried Pennsylvania by about 44,000 votes in 2016.
In Arizona, Mr. Biden held a 49.5% to 48.9% lead over Mr. Trump, a margin of about 20,600 votes, with an estimated 97% of the votes reported.
The president has been eating into Mr. Biden’s lead since Tuesday as additional ballots were counted. Mr. Trump’s team says they expect the president to win the state even after Fox News and the AP called Arizona for Mr. Biden.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has already said she doesn’t expect a recount either way.
The margin between the two candidates would have to be separated by 0.1% or less of the votes cast or 200 votes or less, whichever is smaller, for there to be a recount in Arizona.
In Nevada, Mr. Biden had a 49.8% to 48% lead over Mr. Trump, a margin of about 23,000 votes, with about 93% of the votes reported.
The former vice president has padded his lead as additional ballots from Democratic-leaning Clark County were counted.
A losing candidate can request a recount in Nevada no matter what the margin is.
In North Carolina, Mr. Trump had a 50% to 48.6% lead over Mr. Biden, a margin of about 77,000 votes, with an estimated 98% of the votes reported.
Solidly red Alaska was the other state that had yet to be called. Officials aren’t going to start tallying outstanding early and absentee ballots, which make up at least 40% or so of the state’s total, until at least next week.
Mr. Trump’s team has initiated various legal actions in Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan and has vowed to pursue a recount in Wisconsin, which the AP called for Mr. Biden on Wednesday.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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