By Josh Chang
That’s it. As of 11:40 am Saturday, the Associated Press has called Pennsylvania and therefore the 2020 Presidential Election for Former Vice President Joe Biden. The victory represents the first time an incumbent president has lost re-election since Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992. Kamala Harris, now the Vice President-elect, will become the first woman, Black person, or Asian-American person to hold the office.
Taking place amidst a pandemic, this unique campaign season was marked by high tension and uncertainty, and its drawn-out end was no different. Ultimately, the election was a referendum on President Trump, who was not able to overcome how voters viewed his handling of COVID-19.
Impassioned voters, many of whom cast ballots early and by mail, drove record turnout, a sign of how important many viewed this election. Those mail ballots, after days of counting, were enough to put Biden over the edge in states where he was previously trailing.
Biden’s administration will be tasked with navigating the United States out of a pandemic and leading a massive recovery effort. It’s a tall order, but Biden claims to be up for the challenge, campaigning on the slogan “Build Back Better.” Only time will tell whether he will succeed.
Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks as the Paw Print explores exactly what happened and what it means for this country. Also, a big thanks to everyone who participated in our mock election and survey or followed our special election coverage this last month. We hope you enjoyed!
