Donald Trump claimed victory in all seven swing states during his first victory speech in Florida on Tuesday. His victories in these states proved crucial in ensuring his return to the White House.

What are swing states?

These are states where a Democratic or Republican candidate could win in a statewide election. Because these states do not traditionally favor the “blue” Democrats or the “red” Republicans, they are known as “purple” states. With only a fifth of the US population, these states ultimately decide the next US president.

Seven such states in this year’s election are Pennsylvania (19), Nevada (6), North Carolina (16), Georgia (16), Arizona (11), Michigan (15) and Wisconsin (10).

According to the Associated pressPresident Trump won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, with leads in Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan. With the final few rounds of voting underway, Trump is expected to consolidate his lead and secure a victory.

How did swing states vote?

Pennsylvania: Trump won this crucial state back from the Democrats this year, capturing 50.9% of the vote and with it all 19 electoral college votes. The polls remained a close battle, with Kamala Harris taking 48.2% of the vote. The state was won by Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012.

Pennsylvania’s electorate is a mix of urban, suburban and rural voters with diverse political views. Winning back Pennsylvania proved crucial for Joe Biden to win the US presidency in 2020.

North Carolina: The southeastern state also saw a fierce fight between President Trump and Kamala Harris. The Republican won 51.1% of the vote, winning the 16 electoral college votes. Harris trailed with 47.7% of the vote. The state has seen an influx of young professionals in the technology and financial sectors, leading to a more diverse population.

Georgia: In this traditional Republican stronghold, Trump managed to win this state back from the Democrats by capturing 50.8% of the votes. Harris trailed with 48.5% of the vote. The state is known for its well-developed and diversified demographics, with a significant increase in minorities and younger voters.

Nevada: Trump turned this state ‘red’ and distanced himself from the decade-old dominance of the Democrats. He leads this western US state by capturing 51.5% of the vote, compared to Harris’ 46.8%. Nevada voters supported Democrats Obama and Clinton in the presence of current US President Joe Biden.

This western US state has a large Hispanic population, a growing Asian American community and a strong union presence. These groups often lean Democratic, but are reportedly politically diverse.

Arizona: Trump leads from the immigrant crisis-ridden border state of Mexico with 50.9% of the vote. Harris trails with 48.3%, while Democrats lost about 1% of the vote this year. After solidly supporting Republican candidates from 2000 to 2016, the state switched to Biden in 2020 by a narrow margin of just 0.3% votes.

Wisconsin: Trump leads from this ‘rust belt’ state by capturing 51% of the vote. Harris lags behind after receiving 47.6% of the vote. Wisconsin switched to Trump in 2016 and then to Biden in 2020, with razor-thin margins in both elections. Trump’s promise to bring manufacturing jobs to the U.S. resonated in the state that has been hit by industrial decline in recent decades.

Michigan: Trump currently leads from this traditional Democratic stronghold with 51.1% of the vote. Harris follows with 47.2% of the votes. Michigan was once part of the Democratic “blue wall” and switched to Trump in 2016, only to return to Biden in 2020. This rust belt state is also hit by manufacturing job losses and liberalized global trade policies.

(With input from AP)