Published 22:53 IST, November 7th 2020
US President-elect Joe Biden says 'honored to lead' after winning White House race
In his first response to the US Presidential victory, Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Saturday, thanked the American people for choosing him to lead them
In his first response to his US Presidential victory, Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Saturday, thanked the American people for choosing him to lead their nation. Assuring US that he will be a 'President for all Americans', he said that 'work ahead of us will be hard' - referring to his promise to tackle with Coronavirus on Day one. Biden defeated Trump to be elected the 46th US President, making Donald Trump the first incumbent US president to lose reelection since George H.W. Bush in 1992.
Biden: 'Honored to lead'
Biden elected 46th US President
After four days of vote counting, Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th US President, as called by the Associated Press (AP). Projecting Biden winning 284 electoral college votes, AP called the presidential race with Biden projected to win four swing states - Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania - which were all still too close to call. Biden has also won the popular vote, winning 50.6% of the votes - amassing 7,48,47,834 ballots.
With Joe Biden's win, his Vice-Presidential pick Kamala Harris has made history as the first Black woman to become Vice President. Donald Trump lost the presidential race after he secured only 214 electoral college votes and 47.7% of the votes - 7,05,91,531 ballots. Though Trump is gearing to challenge the election results in six swing states, the Republicans have retained the Senate and the Democrats have retained the House, as per AP's projections. Biden won his home state of Pennsylvania which made him cross the 270-halfway mark. Trump is yet to concede the race.
US election results counting
After a massive campaign, US witnessed a very close election battle between incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on November 3. With record mail-in ballots being polled amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the results were inconclusive on November 3, as millions of ballots remained to be counted. Biden broke Barack Obama's record of 2008 elections getting over 70 million votes, as the polls saw the highest voter turnout since 1908. As he inched closer to victory, he maintained 'Every vote must be counted'.
Trump, on the other hand, has filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona demanding better access for campaign observers to locations where ballots are being processed and counted. His campaign has also moved the Supreme Court to halt the counting of ballots received up to three days after the election. Trump, has claimed 'We have already won the election', with Twitter flagging his claims as false. He also held a press conference claiming massive election fraud, which has been debunked by the US Federal election commission.
Updated 22:53 IST, November 7th 2020