WASHINGTON—After days of news coverage of mail-in votes across multiple states being tallied, broadcasters and media officially called the 2020 presidential election for former Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden is now the president-elect and set to take office as the 46th president on Jan. 20, 2021. However, President Donald Trump continues to baselessly claim that he won the election and is filing lawsuits in multiple states.
NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith released a statement over the weekend after Biden was declared the winner.
“It has been clear for days now that Joe Biden has been on track to win the popular vote in his run for the presidency,” Smith said. “It is decisive that today [Saturday, Nov. 7] he has surpassed the threshold of 270 electoral college votes. NAB congratulates Joe Biden on becoming president-elect of the United States of America.”
In the statement, Smith spoke of his privilege serving with Biden in the U.S. Senate, when Smith represented Oregon as a Republican and Biden Delaware.
Smith also acknowledged the pending legal challenges by President Trump.
“With due respect to President Trump’s rights to judicial review of election results, it is time to acknowledge the election of Joe Biden and to allow him the chance to bind our nation back together.”
Smith also recorded a video message for NAB members regarding the elections. His full statement can also be found online.
