Democratic challenger Joseph R. Biden has been declared the winner in Wisconsin, resurrecting a part of the “blue wall” that President Trump punched through in 2016.
The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday around 2:30 EST.
The state is worth 10 electoral votes and keeps Mr. Biden, a former vice president, on pace to win the 270 electoral votes needed to defeat Mr. Trump in the 2020 presidential race
Mr. Biden emerged victorious amid calls from the Trump campaign for a recount in Wisconsin, where the latest tally showed Mr. Biden with a 20,000 vote lead.
Mr. Trump carried the state by a nearly identical number of votes over Hillary Clinton four years ago.
Chris Walton, chair of the Milwaukee County Democrats, said the Trump camp’s attempts to challenge or raise doubts about the outcome are in for a reality check.
“Just because you don’t understand how the system works, it doesn’t mean that some form of crime or corruption is being done,” Mr. Walton said. “That means you are just not smart enough to know what is happening.”
“In no single election has every single vote been counted on election night,” he said. “This is just not how it goes.”
Mr. Biden appeared to have done what he needed to do by running up large enough margins of victory in Milwaukee and Dane County to offset Mr. Trump’s strong support in the more rural parts of the state.
Mr. Biden also outperformed Mrs. Clinton in the Northeast part of the state around Green Bay.
Mr. Walton said that when Democrats have strong turnout in those areas of the state, it is hard for Republicans to win statewide.
“Like I have been telling people: Wisconsin is a blue state at that point,” he said. “We won’t be Massachusetts, but we will be blue.”
Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, pointed to former Gov. Scott Walker’s belief that Mr. Trump faces an uphill road in making up his deficit of more than 20,000 votes.
“When he said it’s a high hurdle, I agree,” Mr. Evers said.
“People have the right to demand a recount. If that happens, we will be patient,” the governor said.
He said there are “great people” at the election commission who would supervise it.
“That will play out,” Mr. Evers said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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