Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, has won the US presidential election.
The BBC projects that he has reached 273 electoral college votes, meaning that he will become the president in January, pending the outcome of any legal challenges.
Pennsylvania has just been projected as a win for Biden by the BBC.
And after a long wait, he is now over the threshold of the 270 electoral college votes needed.
Biden’s statement
“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris,” Biden said in a statement.
“In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted, proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America.”
He added: “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.”
A year and a half after launching his White House bid, Biden secured enough states to put him over the threshold of 270 electoral votes and bring an end to the four game-changing years of the Trump presidency, according to a projection from the Fox News Decision Desk.
Trump not conceding defeat
For Trump, the loss comes four years after a stunning upset – when he came from behind in 2016 and outperformed the polls in a historic White House victory against the Democrats’ nominee, Hillary Clinton.
But in a statement Saturday, Trump did not concede and instead vowed to continue to fight.
“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,” the president said.
He added: “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
The president has launched a series of legal battles over ballot counting in battleground states, with his campaign filing suits in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada as the states tallied votes sent by mail.
Trump, his campaign and surrogates have spread allegations of fraud in the voting and ballot counting in various states, although solid proof of it has not emerged.
It’s unclear if the president may concede immediately.
In addition, Georgia’s secretary of state signaled Friday the battleground state is headed toward a recount, given the razor-thin margin of votes there.
With strong focus on the coronavirus since the worst pandemic in a century swept across the nation eight months ago, Biden was able to keep the spotlight on the president’s record, largely preventing Trump from making the 2020 campaign a choice election.
Amid national protests and unrest over racial inequity and another nasty Supreme Court nomination battle in the closing days of the race, Biden kept his eye on the pandemic and an economy hit hard by the coronavirus.
