MANCHESTER, N.H. – After multiple days of waiting, several television networks and the Associated Press have determined that President Donald Trump has no realistic path to winning Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes, effectively making former Vice President Joe Biden the President-Elect of the United States.
As of approximately 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, CNN, MSNBC, ABC , CBS, and the Washington Post among others have now put Biden’s electoral college count at 273, above the 270 needed to win.
As of 11:30 a.m., other outlets such as Fox News and Associated Press have not yet called the race for Biden, but have noted that Biden’s lead continues to grow in Pennsylvania as the final few thousand votes come in.
UPDATES
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement after former Vice President Joe Biden was projected to win Pennsylvania, securing enough electoral votes to become the 46th President of the United States:
“I want to congratulate President-elect Biden on running a successful campaign that was focused on the issues that matter to American families,” said Shaheen. “We need to heal the deep divisions in our country and I know President Biden will work tirelessly to unite all Americans. There is so much work that needs to be done that necessitates bipartisan cooperation, such as helping families and small businesses get through the COVID-19 pandemic, making health care more affordable, repairing our nation’s infrastructure, tackling climate change and providing treatment to those suffering from substance use disorders. Granite Staters want to see progress to move our State and country forward—I’m ready to get to work.”
Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement congratulating President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris:
“I send my sincere congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris,” said Congressman Pappas. “Our country needs to unite with common purpose, and I am confident that these two leaders can bring Americans together and move us forward. There is critical work ahead including defeating COVID-19 and bringing our economy back from the brink – and we all have a role to play. This work begins by coming together as a nation, and I look forward to working with the incoming administration and leaders in both parties to solve these challenges.”
President-elect Biden released the following statement:
“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America. With the campaign over it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America and there’s nothing we can’t do if we do it together.”
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has the distinction of being the first female and person of color to hold the office of vice president. Her Twitter feed featured a short video of her on the phone congratulating Biden shortly after news outlets declared the race:
We did it, @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/oCgeylsjB4
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020
Meanwhile, President Trump, who has been actively communicating with via Twitter since Election Day and beyond, went quiet just before the announcement. His last Tweet at 10:36 a.m. has a disclaimer attached by Twitter adding that the race “may not have been called when this was Tweeted.”
I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020
A press conference in Philadelphia by Trump’s attorneys and Trump campaign advisor, Corey Lewandowski of New Hampshire, was scheduled at about the same time news outlets declared Biden the projected winner. His remarks included what he termed a “concrete example” of voter fraud, in which a woman who had died prior to the election had a ballot mailed in and counted.
U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, sent out the following statement shortly after the announcement came:
“I want to offer a big congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their historic election. I also want to note how fitting it is that 100 years after women won the fight for suffrage, we finally have a woman Vice President of the United States of America.“We have a lot of work ahead of us to contain this pandemic, get our economy back on the right track, and build back better. The challenges ahead of us are substantial, and I know that President Biden will work hard to unite our country as we confront these challenges and more. I look forward to working with the new administration and members of both parties to forge bipartisan common ground and get results for our state and country.”
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen posted this photo via Twitter:
Congrats, President-elect! Looking forward to recreating this moment with our friend & VP-elect, @SenKamalaHarris. 😎 pic.twitter.com/3FGJ0upDU0
— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) November 7, 2020
NH Sen. Lou D’allesandro issued this statement Saturday afternoon:
“It is difficult to even begin describing the joy felt throughout the nation on this historic day. From the first day of his campaign, President-elect Biden ran on a message of decency, honesty, and unity. His election, and the groundbreaking election of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris marks the start of a new chapter for America. While the road ahead will be long, I am confident in our newly elected leadership in their ability to rebuild the bridges that have been torn apart over the last four years. Today truly is a great American day.”