The Associated Press has projected Joe Biden to be the United States’ next president.
Joe Biden declared the United States’ 46th president
By Jon Johnson
WASHINGTON D.C. – According to projections by the Associated Press, former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th president of the United States.
The Associated Press called the election for Biden on Saturday, after a come-from-behind victory in Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes put him over the 270-vote threshold needed to win the Electoral College. Nevada was also called for Biden on Saturday, giving him a current total of 290. He is expected to ultimately receive 306 electoral votes if his lead in Georgia holds.
The AP’s tally of votes remains preliminary until certified by individual states. The Electoral College votes in December, and the final results are announced in Congress in January.
Biden’s victory came after winning back key states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, which had voted for Trump in 2016. Biden also flipped Arizona, which voted for a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 1996.
A huge election turnout has given Biden the most votes for any presidential candidate in history – with 74.9 million in the most recent numbers – which is about 4.3 million more than the votes for current President Donald J. Trump.
Biden will be 78 by Inauguration Day, making him the oldest president ever to be elected. With the win, California Senator Kamala Harris will be the first female vice president.
Outgoing President Trump had declared victory on election night prior to all legal votes being counted and watched as his lead in several key states dwindled and then relented to Biden’s early ballot push.
Trump has yet to concede and has advised he will fight the results in a courtroom.
President Donald Trump released a statement on Saturday declaring that his opponent “is rushing to falsely pose as the winner.”
“The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor,” Trump said in the statement.
Ballots are still being counted, including in Arizona, and if the final tally has Biden winning the election with 306 electoral votes the likelihood of a courtroom battle over an individual state’s results will diminish due to being inconsequential, according to legal experts.
