Former President Donald Trump has won in Georgia, CBS News projects, securing the state's 16 electoral votes. Georgia is considered a battleground state in the 2024 presidential race, with 16 electoral votes.
Votes are still being counted in the Southern battleground state, but with 99% of jurisdictions reporting, Trump is leading by about 2 percentage points.
Trump's victory in Georgia comes four years after he lost to President Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes, an outcome that prompted him to unsuccessfully pressure state officials to "find" the votes needed to win.
Both Trump and Harris visited Georgia multiple times in the weeks leading up to the election, particularly in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated portions of the state.
The state voted for President Biden in 2020 — the first time it had gone for a Democratic candidate since 1992.
Trump takes Georgia, capturing 16 electoral votes in Southern battleground
Trump has won in Georgia, CBS News projects, securing the state's 16 electoral votes.
Georgia leaning Trump, CBS News estimates
CBS News rates Georgia as leaning Trump, shortly before 11 p.m. A lean rating is not a projection.
Major issues in Georgia
Trump criminal case: Georgia is at the heart of former President Donald Trump's attempt to overthrow the 2020 election. On Jan. 2, 2021, Trump called Raffensperger and other election officials, asking them to "find" 11,780 votes — or "one more vote than we have." Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis charged Trump and 18 others with election interference, although the case is currently halted. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
Abortion: Georgia has a six-week abortion ban that went into effect after the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade. Since then, the state's Supreme Court has upheld the measure, despite efforts by pro-abortion rights groups. Vice President Kamala Harris has campaigned on the issue in the state, especially after the deaths of two women. An investigation found that the women's deaths were preventable but were hindered by the state's abortion ban.
Major races in Georgia
There aren't any big-ticket races in Georgia this year. Firebrand Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents a district in north Georgia, is in a safe red district.
Both of Georgia's Senate seats flipped Democratic in a special runoff election on Jan. 5, 2021, which Trump had campaigned extensively ahead of time to keep in GOP hands. Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was elected to finish a term, and he was reelected in 2022. The other Democrat, Sen. Jon Ossoff, will be up for reelection in 2026.
Trump tried to support primary challengers to Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in 2022, but they ultimately prevailed.
Polling in Georgia
A CBS News poll conducted in late September had Trump with a 2-point lead over Harris in Georgia, 51% to 49%.
What time do polls close in Georgia?
Polls closed in Georgia at 7 p.m. ET. More than 4 million people in Georgia voted early as of Friday, the last day of early voting, shattering records, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said.