Progressives have pledged to push Biden and Harris to embrace policies like Medicare for All and a Green New Deal.
After days of uncertainty amid concurrent global crises, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was declared the winner of the closely-watched contest that denied President Donald Trump a second term Saturday morning, after votes tallied in the battleground state of Pennsylvania pushed Biden over the 270 electoral vote threshold. According to NBC News: “The former vice president amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania’s 20 electors, according to NBC News, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.” The Associated Press, which put both Arizona and Pennsylvania in Biden’s column, also called the race: The determination in Pennsylvania put Biden at 273 electoral votes to Trump’s 214 — a deficit the president has no way of overcoming even as five other states — Alaska, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina — continue to process their results. Adding Arizona’s eleven electortal to Biden’s column, put his electoral count to 284. Shortly after the news broke, Biden said in a tweet addressed to the nation that he was “honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country.” “The work ahead of us will be hard,” he added, “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 place in me.” Progressives immediately celebrated Biden’s victory and expressed elation over Trump’s pending departure. “This nightmare is coming to an end. Despite every attempt to silence our voices and block our vote, the will of the people won,” declared George Goehl, director of the grassroots advocacy group People’s Action. “We, the voters, decided this!” said Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America director for 350 Action, in a statement when the news broke. “By working together, our unapologetic movement for people and planet has been steadfast and patient as our votes were counted. People power stood up to Donald Trump’s fascist vision for America and elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris into the White House. The government we chose must be sworn in because this is the people’s democracy.” The subject line in an email from the Sunrise Movement was expressive: “We fucking did it.” “Excuse my language,” said the group’s executive director Varshini Prakash, “but we fucking did it. It’s official. We WON.” “We won. And this is a big win,” said María Urbina, acting co-executive director and national political director of Indivisible. “A record number of voters turned out amidst a pandemic to express the will of the people, and to put a historic ticket in the White House by clear margins. Come January, we’ll move forward together to swear in a President and Vice President who are serious about governing and will be expected to deliver on an agenda of dignity and justice for all.
