Election Night 2016 -- A Timeline

[JRP1994]

Good Evening, America. The votes are being cast all across the country, and tonight, we will learn who the 45th President of the United States will be. Will it be Hillary Clinton, former First Lady, NY Senator, and Secretary of State, or will it be Chris Christie, 2-term NJ Governor?

The polls have been very tight this cycle. The last Real Clear Politics national average shows Gov. Christie leading Mrs. Clinton by 0.2% - 49.2 to 49.0

It is 6:00pm. The polls are just beginning to close in portions of Kentucky and Indiana. We have no reports at this hour to report, but let's take a look at the electoral map we'll be working with tonight:

This map will begin filling in quickly as the polls begin to close. States won by Gov. Christie will be colored RED, while states won by Mrs. Clinton will be colored BLUE.

We're going to take a break, but we will be back soon, as Election Night 2016 begins to unfold.

[JRP1994]

Welcome back to Election Night Coverage, 2016. Tonight, the race between Hillary Clinton (and her running mate, Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana) and Chris Christie (and his running mate, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida) will be decided.

It's 7:00 on the east coast, and polls have closed in 6 states, including the crucial battleground state of Virginia.

At this moment, we have a few projections to make:

In Georgia: Too early to call, but Christie leads
In Indiana: Too early to call, but Christie leads
In Kentucky: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In South Carolina: Too early to call, but Christie leads
In Vermont: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Virginia: The race is too close to call.

Here's the electoral map at this hour. Governor Christie has 8 electoral votes, Mrs. Clinton has 3. The states in green are states in which the polls have closed, but the race is either too close or too early to call.

[JRP1994]

It's 7:15, and we have a result out of South Carolina. We can project that the state of South Carolina will be won by Governor Christie.

Awarding him the state's 9 electoral votes brings his total to 17. Christie leads Clinton 17-3.

[JRP1994]

At 7:23 Eastern Time, we can project that the state of Indiana will be won by Governor Christie. Indiana for Christie. The state's 11 electoral votes will bring Christie's total to 28; Clinton still at 3.

[JRP1994]

It's 7:30 on the East Coast, and the polls are closing in 3 states, including the battleground states of Ohio and North Carolina. At this time, we can make the following projections...

In North Carolina: Too close to call.
In Ohio: Too close to call.
In West Virginia: Too early to call, but Christie leads.

And, to recap the states that have already closed their polls, but that we cannot project:

In Virginia: Too close to call
In Georgia: Too early to call, but Christie taking a substantial lead

Here's the electoral map. Christie stands at 28 electoral votes, Mrs. Clinton is at 3.

[JRP1994]

We have another call to make. At 7:45pm, we can project that Chris Christie will carry the state of Georgia. The Peach State's 16 electoral votes bring Christie's total to 44, while Mrs. Clinton is still at 3.

[JRP1994]

This is an awesome timeline!

Thank you, sir! This is my first timeline, so I appreciate the support.

[JRP1994]

At 7:57, we can now project that the state of West Virginia will be won by Governor Christie. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Schweitzer contested the state some throughout the campaign, hoping to revive the state's democratic history, but that is not to be the case - Governor Christie carries the state, netting 5 more electoral votes.

Here's how the map now stands: Christie at 49, Mrs. Clinton at 3.

[JRP1994]

Welcome back to Election Night 2016 coverage. It's 8:00 EST, and polls have just closed in 16 states and the District of Columbia, and we have a number of projections to make at this hour:

In Alabama: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In Connecticut: Too early to call, but Clinton leads
In Delaware: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Florida: Too close to call
In Illinois: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Maine: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner in the state of Maine, but the 2nd Congressional District, which awards its electoral vote independent of the statewide result, is too close to call.
In Maryland: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Massachusetts: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Mississippi: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In Missouri: Too early to call, and we cannot project an advantage for either candidate
In New Hampshire: Too close to call
In New Jersey: Too early to call, but Clinton has a narrow lead
In Oklahoma: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In Pennsylvania: Too close to call
In Rhode Island: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Tennessee: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In Washington DC: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner

Here is the electoral map at this hour. As of 8pm, Chris Christie has 82 electoral votes, Hillary Clinton has 57.

[JRP1994]

It's 8:30, and the polls have just closed in Arkansas. The state of Arkansas is too early to call, though we can tell you that Christie is in the lead.

To recap the states that we cannot yet project:

Connecticut: Too early to call, but Clinton leading
Florida: Too close to call
Maine's 2nd CD: Too close to call
Missouri: Too early to call, but Christie is beginning to take a lead
New Hampshire: Too close to call
New Jersey: Too early to call, but Clinton is leading
North Carolina: Too close to call
Ohio: Too close to call
Pennsylvania: Too close to call

Here is the electoral map at this hour:

[JRP1994]

At 8:36, we have a result to report out of Connecticut - the state will go for Mrs. Clinton. Governor Christie and Senator Rubio contested the state near the end of this campaign, and it was thought that Governor Christie might have a shot to flip the state for the first time since 1988. That will not be the case - the state's 7 electoral votes are in the Democratic column tonight.

As Connecticut is colored blue, Mrs. Clinton's electoral vote total rises to 64. Governor Christie remains at 82.

[JRP1994]

It's 9:00 on Election Night, which means that polls are closing in a slew of 13 states. We are beginning to get some results in, and can make the following projections about the races in those states:

In Arizona: Too early to call, but Christie is in the lead
In Colorado: Too close to call
In Kansas: Christie is the projected winner
In Louisiana: Christie is the projected winner
In Michigan: Too early to call, but Clinton is in the lead
In Minnesota: Too close to call
In Nebraska: Christie is the projected winner of the state of Nebraska. Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, which acts independently of the state result (like Maine's 2nd District) is considered too early to call, but Christie is in the lead
In New Mexico: Too early to call, and we cannot project an advantage for either candidate
In New York: Clinton is the projected winner
In North Dakota: Christie is the projected winner
In South Dakota: Christie is the projected winner
In Texas: Christie is the projected winner
In Wisconsin: Too close to call
In Wyoming: Christie is the projected winner

Here is the electoral map at 9pm. Christie has 147 electoral votes, Clinton has 93.

[JRP1994]

A

How were they not able to call Indiana at 7PM for Christie?

Libertarians are fairly popular here, and state races usually are fairly close. Governors race here in 2012 was close, and the school superintendent (a democrat) won more votes than the now Governor Mike Pence. Also Clinton won the primary here in 2008 and Obama won the state in 2008. So, close is nothing new.

Exactly.

[JRP1994]

9:05pm, and we have another call to make. In the state of Arkansas, we can project that Chris Christie is the projected winner. Mrs. Clinton had hoped to recapture the state in which her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was the governor. She had hoped that choosing Gov. Schweitzer would increase her appeal in places like Arkansas, but, apparently not - Arkansas goes to Christie.

Adding Arkansas' 6 electoral votes to Christie's total brings him to 153 electoral votes. He leads Clinton by 60 - she currently has 93.

[JRP1994]

Good catch! Thanks. Yes, Clinton is the projected winner in Rhode Island.

[JRP1994]

10:00 on the East Coast, and polls have just closed in 4 states - 3 of which are battleground states in this election. At 10pm, we can make the following projections:

In Iowa: Too close to call
In Montana: Too early to call, but Christie leads
In Nevada: Too close to call
In Utah: Chris Christie is the projected winner

Adding Utah's 6 electoral votes to Christie's total brings him to 159 - Mrs. Clinton is still at 93.

[JRP1994]

It's 10 minutes after 10, and we have a major projection to make:

Hillary Clinton has won New Jersey, embarrassing Gov. Christie by winning his home state. Republicans were ecstatic about the possibility of regaining New Jersey, knowing that Christie is the only GOP candidate who could flip the state. Christie may stand tall in New Jersey, but Clinton stands taller tonight - New Jersey stays in the Democratic column tonight, giving Hillary Clinton another 14 electoral votes.

Here's the electoral map: Chris Christie at 159, Hillary Clinton at 107.

[JRP1994]

At 10:15, we have a projection to make in the battleground state of North Carolina. We can project that Governor Christie will carry the Tarheel State's 15 electoral votes. This is a state that Gov. Schweitzer had visited numerous times during the campaign, hoping to flip the state for the Democrats, but it appears that North Carolina is in the Republican column.

The electoral count stands now: Chistie at 174, Clinton at 107.

[JRP1994]

And, moments later, we can make a call in the state of Missouri - Missouri will stay in the Republican column. Like Arkansas, Clinton had hoped to flip Missouri back into the Democratic column, and was thought to have a strong chance at doing so, but Missouri goes for Chris Christie tonight.

Adding Missouri brings Christie's electoral count to 184 - Clinton still at 107.

And, let's recap the states in which we cannot make a projection for either candidate:

Arizona: Too early to call, but Christie leads
Colorado: Too close to call
Florida: Too close to call
Iowa: Too close to call
Maine's 2nd District: Too close to call
Michigan: Too early to call, but Clinton leads
Minnesota: Too close to call
Montana: Too early to call, but Christie leads
New Hampshire: Too close to call
New Mexico: Too early to call, but Clinton leads
Nevada: Too close to call
Ohio: Too close to call
Pennsylvania: Too close to call
Virginia: Too close to call
Wisconsin: Too close to call

Here's the electoral map as it stands right now:

[JRP1994]

And, as Missouri goes, so goes Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. At 10:19pm, we can project that Nebraska's 2nd CD will go to Chris Christie, giving him an additional electoral vote, and bringing his total to 185. Clinton still at 107.

[JRP1994]

It may sound like a broken record, but at 10:24, we have another projection to make for Chris Christie - he is the winner in the battleground state of Arizona. The Grand Canyon state's 11 electoral votes bring his total to 196 - Clinton still at 107.

[JRP1994]

We have another projection to make. At 10:31pm, we can project that the state of New Mexico will go for Hillary Clinton. Mr. Christie invested heavily in the state, hoping that Sen. Rubio as his VP would help him appeal to hispanic voters in the state - not to be the case. New Mexico stays in the Democratic column, bringing Mrs. Clinton's total to....

Wait, hold on....

We have a major projection to make. In the battleground state of Michigan, a state where both campaigns spent millions of dollars and made dozens of visits, we can project that the winner is Hillary Clinton. Michigan stays blue for the Democrats tonight, cutting off a path to victory for Gov. Christie, and keeping Mrs. Clinton's hopes alive.

Michigan's 16 electoral votes bring Mrs. Clinton's total to 128 - she still trails Mr. Christie, who is at 196.

Here's the map:

[JRP1994]

It's 10:50 - the polls will be closing in 4 more states in about 10 minutes. But before they do, we have another major projection to make, in the largest battleground state of this election.

We can project that the state of Florida, the home state of Sen. Marco Rubio, will be won by Chris Christie. There's plenty of sunshine for Christie/Rubio in Florida, as the state flips into the Republican column. This is the first state that either campaign has flipped from the 2012 result - therefore it will be shaded a slightly lighter shade of red, to indicate a turnover.

The electoral count now stands at - Christie: 225, Clinton: 128

[JRP1994]

It's 11:00pm, and the polls have just closed in 5 more states. With those poll closings, we have a few projections to make:

In California: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Hawaii: Hillary Clinton is the projected winner
In Idaho: Chris Christie is the projected winner
In Oregon: Too early to call, but Clinton is leading
In Washington: Too early to call, but Clinton is leading

Here's the electoral map at 11:00pm. Christie has 229 electoral votes, Clinton has 187. Christie still leading, but Clinton is narrowing the gap.

[JRP1994]

At 11:03, we have a projection in the state of Wisconsin - the state will go to Hillary Clinton. Gov. Christie competed in the state throughout the campaign, and the polls were very close, but we can project that Hillary Clinton will win Wisconsin.


Christie still at 229, Hillary inching forward at 197.