The outlet has called North Carolina for the former president, with nearly 90% of the vote counted in the battleground state

Former US President Donald Trump has won a victory in the battleground state of North Carolina with nearly 90 percent of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press.  

Trump led by more than 130,000 votes when the agency declared him the winner in the key swing state. Democrats had pinned their hopes on flipping the result during this year’s election. The last time they succeeded, however, was in 2008, when the state went to former President Barack Obama. 

The win would give Trump 16 more electoral votes, bringing the Republican candidate closer to the 270 needed to secure the election. Early results suggest he is already on track to beat Democratic rival Kamala Harris. 

The New York Times has estimated that Trump currently has a 90% chance of winning the presidency, describing his return to power as “likely.” Based on early vote counts and polling results, the newspaper has indicated that Trump is currently on track to secure 301 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win. Meanwhile, Harris is projected to win 238 votes.

READ MORE: Trump win ‘likely’ – NYT

The Washington Post has also suggested that Trump is “slightly favored” to win in six of seven swing states, which could decide the outcome. While a large portion of the votes in these states have already been counted, Trump’s lead in places like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin is still too narrow for a definitive call.