Hillary Clinton will win California and Hawaii, and take the Electoral College lead, CNN projects, while Donald Trump will win Idaho, CNN reported.
Donald Trump will win the key state of Ohio, CNN projects, a key victory as he and Hillary Clinton wage an epic battle for swing states that will decide the race for the presidency.
The Ohio victory is especially important for Trump as no Republican has won the White House without taking the Buckeye State. That result and his strong position in Florida make it increasingly possible Trump has a path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win.
But Clinton pulled out desperately needed wins in Virginia and Colorado even as she faces a much stronger than expected challenge from Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin. Those Midwestern states form the bedrock of her Democratic firewall.
The mood in the Clinton campaign has shifted dramatically as it frantically tries to understand what's happening in Florida. A senior adviser conceded the campaign's modeling was off, but believed Clinton has enough votes still out to take the state.
Beyond his lead in Florida, Trump is also ahead in North Carolina.
That prospect of a Trump win quickly sent global markets tumbling, amid fears his vow to ditch global trade deals and brand China a currency manipulator would spark global economic shocks. Dow futures plummeted 500 points, or almost 3%, Wednesday night. Major indexes in Asia are falling by similar amounts.
So far, Trump has won 19 states, including Texas. Clinton has come out on top in New York and 12 other states along with the District of Columbia. Trump has 167 electoral votes compared to 131 electoral votes for Clinton, according to CNN projections.
Regardless of who prevails, history will be made as Americans elect either their first woman president or side with the ultimate political outsider.
Both candidates argue the election presents an unusually significant choice for a divided nation. Democrats warn that Trump, with his rhetoric on race, gender and immigration, would represent a rejection of core American values. Trump insists his campaign represents America's last chance to drive out a corrupt political establishment that has turned its back on hard-working Americans.
New York is the center of the political universe this Election Day. This is the first campaign since 1944 in which both candidates are from the Empire State. And their victory parties are being held a mile and a half apart in Manhattan.
Early exit polls show that a majority of voters -- 54% -- approve of President Barack Obama, but only 4 in 10 said they would be optimistic or excited about a Trump or Clinton presidency. And 4 in 10 said their top priority was a candidate who would bring needed change. But a similar share said they were voting on experience or judgment, sentiments that did not seem to offer an edge to either candidate.