Election 2020 updates: Biden warns of 'dark winter,' pushes masks in pandemic plan
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.
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Biden delivers remarks from Delaware as lead grows
The former vice president took to the stage three nights after Election Day to again say his prospects for taking the White House look good.
"We don't have a final declaration of victory yet, but the numbers tell us it's clear," Biden said. "We are going to win this race."
No outlet has projected the election winner, but Biden leads in four critical battleground states yet to be called: Georgia, Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania. His lead has narrowed in Arizona Friday, but only grown in the other three. He leads by more than 20,000 votes in Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Biden didn't step to the podium until nearly 11 p.m. Eastern time. Vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris joined Biden on stage, but did not give remarks as previously planned if the race had been called. The former vice president spoke from the stage in Wilmington that had been constructed for a possible victory speech on election night.
Biden highlighted his 74 million votes, a record in a presidential election, and claimed victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania, though ABC News has not projected those races.
"We're beating Donald Trump by over 4 million votes, and that’s a margin that is still growing as well," he said. "One of the things I'm especially proud of is how well we've done well across America."
He spoke to the frustration many Americans -- and maybe some in his camp -- are feeling watching the slow trickle of votes come in.
"I know watching these vote tallies on TV moves very slow, and as slow as it goes, it can be numbing," Biden said. "But never forget, the tallies aren’t just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercised their fundamental right to have their voice heard."
The Democratic nominee also promised to address the COVID-19 pandemic "from Day 1," but added he's never been more optimistic about the future of the country. Biden said he would also speak to the country on Saturday.
Biden set to address the nation Friday night
Biden is set to address the nation Friday night, his campaign advised to ABC News.
If there isn't a call on a projected winner in the presidential election, the candidate will likely speak to the fact that he is closing in on 270 electoral votes and leads in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada, the campaign said.
The time of his address has yet to be officially announced.
Speaking with reporters in Wilmington Friday night, Biden ally and fellow Delawarean Sen. Chris Coons told reporters he's not expecting a call Friday night on key battleground Pennsylvania, but he remains confident Biden will increase his margin and be projected to win the state.
"We're getting to a point where, literally, everyone I'm talking to in Pennsylvania is saying ... there's nothing by which Donald Trump can reverse this, and Joe Biden's margin is simply going to keep growing," Coons said. "But there's not going to be some concrete -- a clear announcement tonight about Pennsylvania."
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
Biden leading Arizona by 29,861 votes
With Mariopa County releasing the totals of about 73,000 ballots, Biden is leading Arizona by 29,861 votes, with 49.6% of the vote compared to Trump's 48.7%.
About 171,000 ballots are outstanding statewide.
Arizona has 11 electoral votes.
-ABC News' Meg Cunningham
Last of Georgia vote trickling in, Biden leads by 4,020
The vote in Georgia is trickling in little-by-little, county-by-county, with about 24,300 ballots outstanding, with the potential to be counted. Most were overseas/military and provisional ballots
Biden is leading by 4,020 votes and at about 49.4% (2,456,845 votes) to Trump's 49.3% (2,452,825 votes).
-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan