The Fox News Decision Desk projected Saturday that Biden will win the state of Nevada and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, giving the former vice president the electoral votes he needs to win the White House.
“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.”
Biden’s campaign announced that the president-elect and Harris, his running mate, will speak at an event in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware at 8 p.m. ET.
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 the Fox News projections. For Trump, the defeat comes four years after a stunning upset – when he came from behind in 2016 and outperformed the polls in a victory against 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.
“Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated,” Trump added.
The president has launched a number of legal challenges over ballot counting in key battleground states, with his campaign filing suits in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada as the states continue to tally ballots 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.
In addition, Georgia’s secretary of state signaled Friday that the state is headed toward a recount, given the razor-thin margin of votes there favoring Biden.
Biden, taking to Twitter after the projections, said “America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country. The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me.”
And Biden added “President-Elect” to the description on his Twitter page.
Harris, who will become the first female vice president and first person of color to serve as vice president, tweeted “We did it.” The senator from California’s tweet included a short video of her on a phone call congratulating Biden.