On Saturday morning, it was announced that Joe Biden had won the 2020 presidential election in both the electoral and popular vote. In a sweeping comeback, Biden won the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, which placed him over the necessary score of 270 electoral votes. 

“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,” declared Biden on Saturday morning. Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, and Kamala Harris will become the first female, African-American, Indian-American, and Asian-American vice president. 

Manisha Sinha, a professor of American history at the University of Connecticut, said, “It sends a message about what kind of country we are today,” in an NPR interview. The election of Harris’s win highlights the pursuit of racial equality United States citizens have been adamantly protesting for this past year. “This election is about so much more than [Joe] or me. It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started,” tweeted Harris, after hearing the final results. 

Although half the nation and a few European nations are pleased with the results of the election, there is half a nation of citizens and a current leader who is upset with the outcome. “We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner…The simple fact is: this election is far from over,’’ stated Trump in a press release on Saturday. In the same press release, Trump said he will be pursuing a lawsuit starting Monday.  

The Associated Press announced Biden as winner on Saturday, with Biden eventually taking lead in Pennsylvania, the root state of democracy and his home state. The victory comes after a long campaign, heated debates, and a tedious, nerve-wracking election week–all of which was topped with record-breaking voter turnout. 

Even though it is clear that Biden will become the next president, Trump has shown no indication that he plans to concede and continues to push the falsehood that he has won the election.

He has confirmed that his attorneys will pursue legal challenges that would delay formal certification of the results. Trump’s campaign team is expected to continue its effort to dispute the election results with an upcoming round of lawsuits on Monday, but so far they have been unable to point to any credible instance of voter fraud that would alter the outcome of the race.

President-elect Joe Biden made a speech tonight in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday evening. Biden “…spoke to a deeply divided nation tonight, making a plea for unity and understanding after four years of turmoil and conflict fomented by President Donald Trump,” said CNN. 

“I sought this office to rebuild the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class and to make America respected around the world again,” Biden said in his victory speech.

Though Biden pulled off an impressive feat by defeating an incumbent president and turning swing states in the Midwest blue, he will inherit presidency during a time of extreme tension, stress, and hardship. Time will tell how the new president-elect will handle the massive issues that Trump is leaving behind.