Joe Biden became the president-elect after victory in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania that propelled him past the 270-vote electoral college threshold. The win crushed hopes of re-election for Donald Trump - one of the most unpopular president of modern times, who the aides and allies believe lost because of his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
77-year-old Biden is son of a sales man and homemaker and is the oldest candidate elected the presidency. He served for nearly four decades in US Senate and eight years as Barack Obama’s vice-president. His key election promise is to unify America after the tumult of Trump years. Biden, in a statement, said he was “honoured and humbled by the trust the American people have in” him.
With the victory, Sen.Kamala D Harris of California - the new vice president - is set to become the highest ranking woman in American history. And as the first woman of color to hold that office, she is milestone for a nation grappling with a history of racial injustice. Born to Indian and Jamaican parents, Harris was embraced by Democrats who saw in her a reflection of themselves - a party supported by women and, especially Black women.
In a tweet, Harris said: “This election is about so much more than Jo Biden 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 us get started.”
Incidentally, in defeat, Trump becomes the first US president to lose re-election since 1992.
