The president-elect emphasized how he would handle the pandemic response.
Joe Biden is set to become the 46th president of the United States, capping a tumultuous and tension-filled campaign during a historic pandemic against President Donald Trump. ABC News characterized Joe Biden as the apparent winner of his home state of Pennsylvania, putting him over the 270 vote threshold needed to capture the presidency.
The hard-fought battle against the president was set against the backdrop of racial unrest and the coronavirus pandemic and bitter divisions among the electorate.
Trump had falsely declared on election night, when he held a lead in several key states, that he won the contest and alleged without evidence, after the count started to swing the other way, that the election was being stolen from him and that fraud had been committed.
Painting the election as a "battle for the soul of the nation," Biden won on a message of unity over division, compassion over anger, and reality over what he called Trump's "wishful thinking" as the coronavirus pandemic cast a heavy shadow over the campaign.
The 2020 election has shattered voting records with votes totaling 147 million and counting, surpassing the 138 million who voted in 2016.
Trump will win Texas and its grand prize of 38 electoral votes, ABC News projects, tying his standing in the Electoral College with Biden at 209 votes.
Democrats had sensed a slim opportunity to flip the GOP-stronghold based on a strongly early vote turnout in the party.
Biden is also projected to Rhode Island’s four electoral votes.
After issues in Fulton and Gwinnett counties, Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs told ABC News that Georgia's two biggest counties will not report final results Tuesday night.
"They could shock all of us, but I really doubt it," Fuchs said.
Gwinnett County experienced a technical issue that was delaying the count and a burst pipe at State Farm Arena in Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, delayed the processing process there. After sending workers home for the night, Fulton County officials have said that they called employees back and have continued to process absentee ballots.
Right now, 72% of the expected vote has been reported in Fulton County, and 80% of the expected vote has been reported in Gwinnett County.
-ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Quinn Scanlan and T.J. Holmes
Trump will win Iowa’s six electoral votes, ABC News projects, raising his Electoral College standing to 171 votes, while Biden stands at 205.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is projected to defeat Democratic candidate Theresa Greenfield in what became a high-profile race for the key Senate seat.
Biden beat Trump in being the first to address the nation on election night, telling Americans from Wilmington, Delaware, that he's "feeling good" about the race.
"We feel good about where we are, we really do," Biden said to supporters as states continue to count ballots. "We're feeling real good about Wisconsin and Michigan," adding that he has confidence in Pennsylvania too.
He also offered a reminder that it's going to take more time to finish counting all of the votes.
"We're going to have to be patient until the hard work of tallying the votes is finished. And it ain't over until every vote is counted, every ballot is counted," Biden said.
"As I've said all along, it's not my place or Donald Trump's place to declare who's won this election. That's the decision of the American people," he added.
On the heels of Biden's address, Trump tweeted that he, too, will be making a statement.
