CNN anchor Chris Wallace was visibly stunned when reacting to the razor-close margins between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, as the Republican nominee has experienced solid gains in deep-blue D.C. suburbs.
âItâs a surprisingly close race in Virginia, which has gone blue since 2008 and Obama, the last four cycles. And if you remember, Trump had a, in late October, had a rally there and people went, âWhatâs he doing in Virginia? Thatâs a blue state,ââ Wallace said. âHeâs running a very close race.â1,486 Ă 990
After co-panelist Dana Bash noted that only 50 percent of the vote was in at the time, Wallace reiterated that the results were way too close for comfort.
As of 9:45 Eastern Time, Trump is holding onto a narrow lead in Virginia with roughly 55 percent of the vote reported.
Republicans have also experienced gains in Northern Virginia, which is heavily influenced by the D.C. metropolitan area. With 95 percent of votes counted, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris leads Trump in the blue stronghold of Loudon County, but only by a 17-point margin, securing 57 percent of the vote to Trumpâs 40 percent.
This represents a massive eight-point swing towards Trump when compared with 2020 results. âIf Loudon County mirrors the statewide swing, then Virginia is going to be VERY close,â said veteran pollster Rich Baris.
Earlier in the night, Wallace stated that CNNâs preliminary exit polls were looking very good for the Republican nominee.
âItâs a pretty dire mood in terms of the way people feel things are going in the United States,â CNNâs David Chalian said before going over the results. âNationally, only 7 percent of voters say theyâre enthusiastic, 19 percent say theyâre satisfied. Look at these numbers, 43 percent dissatisfied, 29 percent angry, 72 percent of the electorate nationally say theyâre dissatisfied or angry.â
After CNNâs Dana Bash claimed that voters could also be dissatisfied with Trumpâs handling of the economy, Wallace strongly disagreed, calling her analysis âthe best possible spin.â
âI think when you see current voters saying that by a three-to-one margin that they are dissatisfied with the country, or angry, dissatisfied or angry, I gotta say, I think that with the present conditions in the country. I mean in conventional terms, it would be a miracle that Kamala Harris could win with that kind of headwind,â he said.