Joe Biden elected president

By Meg Wagner, Fernando Alfonso III, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani, Veronica Rocha and Amanda Wills, CNN

Updated 10:29 a.m. ET, November 8, 2020

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9:16 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Joe Biden to American educators: You'll have one of your own in the White House with the first lady

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

President-elect Joe Biden speaks Saturday, November 7 in Wilmington, Delaware. Andrew Harnik/AP

President-elect Joe Biden thanked his wife and future first lady Jill Biden in is address to the nation from Wilmington, Delaware.

"I'm Jill's husband. And I would not be here without her love," Biden said.

He highlighted her background as an educator and a military mother.

"Jill's a military mom, an educator. She's dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does. It's who she is. For American educators, this is a great day for you all. You going to have one of your own in the White House. And Jill will make a great first lady. I'm so proud of her," Biden said.

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9:25 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Harris honors her mother's journey in victory speech: "I am thinking about her and the generations of women"

From CNN's Leinz Vales

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speaks on November 7 in Wilmington, Delaware. Andrew Harnik/AP

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said she reflects on the "struggle" and "determination" of women in America, including her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan.

“When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn’t quite imagine this moment,” Harris said during her opening remarks. “But she believed so deeply in America where a moment like this is possible.”

She continued:

“So I am thinking about her and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, White, Latina, Native American women, who through out our nations’ history have paved the way to tonight. Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all. Including the Black women who are often, too often overlooked but so often proven they are the backbone of our democracy. All the women who have worked to secure and protect the right to vote for over a century, 100 years ago with the 19th Amendment. Fifty five years ago with the Voting Rights Act, and now in 2020, with a new generation of women in our country who cast their ballots and continued the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard."

"Tonight, I reflect on their struggle, their determination, and the strength of their vision to see what can be unburdened by what has been. And I stand on their shoulders," Harris added.

Harris will become the nation’s first Black and South Asian vice president, and first woman to hold that office.

"What a testament it is to Joe's character, that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exist in our country and select a woman as his vice president," Harris said of President-elect Joe Biden.

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9:07 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Harris: "But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last"

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speaks Saturday, Nov. 7, in Wilmington, Del. Andrew Harnik/AP

History was not lost on Kamala Harris tonight during her opening remarks as the first woman to become vice president-elect in the US.

"But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," Harris said tonight in Delaware.

She added: "Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."

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8:54 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Harris to Americans: "You chose hope and unity, decency, science, and yes, truth"

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

Addressing the nation for the first time as vice president-elect, Kamala Harris thanked the American voters and organizers.

"To the American people who make up our beautiful country, thank you for turning out in record numbers to make your voices heard," she said.

"I know times have been challenging. Especially the last several months. The grief, sorrow, and pain, the worries and the struggles, but we have also witnessed your courage, your resilience and the generosity of your spirit. For four years, you marched and organized for equality and justice, for our lives and for our planet and then you voted. And you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science, and yes, truth. You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America," Harris said.

Harris is the first woman, the first woman of color, the first Black person and the first South Asian to be elected vice president of the United States.

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8:48 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Harris says Americans "ushered in a new day"

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris addresses the nation from the Chase Center on November 7 in Wilmington, Delaware. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris invoked the life and legacy of the late Rep. John Lewis during her opening remarks tonight, reminding Americans that "democracy is not guaranteed."

Democracy is "only as strong as our willingness to fight for it," Harris said.

"To guard it and never take it for granted," she added from Wilmington, Delaware. "It takes sacrifice. But there is joy in it. And there is progress, because we, the people, have the power to build a better future."

Harris added: "And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election with the very soul of America at stake and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America."

Harris' speech comes less than 10 hours after CNN projected Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania, putting him over the 270 electoral vote threshold needed for the presidency.

Harris will be the nation’s first Black and South Asian vice president, and first woman to hold that office.

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7:44 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Biden and Harris will soon address the nation

From CNN's Arlette Saenz

The stage is set for President-elect Joe Biden to speak on November 7 in Wilmington, Delaware Andrew Harnik/AP

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will soon address the nation at the Chase Center in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

Biden’s central message will be one of unity, advisers say. His remarks thematically draw from the final major speeches from his campaign – in Gettysburg and Warm Springs, Georgia, advisers say, as he urges Americans to come together and promises to be a president for all Americans.

His speech has been written for some time, but adjustments have been made as the week has progressed.

In case you missed it: It was Biden's boyhood state of Pennsylvania that put him over the 270 electoral vote threshold today and delivered the White House.

Harris, a senator from California, will make history as the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent to become vice president.

7:43 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Biden's projected presidential victory comes 48 years to the day of first Senate win

From CNN's Leinz Vales

As Americans across the United States prepare to watch President-elect Joe Biden’s victory speech, CNN’s Arlette Saenz highlighted the significance of the day he was projected the winner.

“It was 48 years ago today that Joe Biden first won his Senate seat here in Delaware and now 48 years later he’s heading to the White House,” Saenz said at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware.

Some background: Biden, who was Delaware's longest serving senator, was elected to office in 1972. He was first elected to the Senate at age 29, defeating Republican Sen. J. Caleb Boggs and would win reelection in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2002.

CNN's Arlette Saenz reports:

8:18 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Democratic candidate in runoff race says he's confident Georgia will solidify "its status as a blue state"

From CNN's Leinz Vales

Democrat Senate candidate Raphael Warnock speaks during a campaign rally in LaGrange, Georgia, on October 29. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images

On the night of Joe Biden’s projected victory over President Trump, Democrat Senate candidate Raphael Warnock said he’s confident that the President-elect will win Georgia and he will win his runoff with Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

“There is no question that Georgia is well on its way to solidifying its status as a blue state,” Warnock told CNN’s Erin Burnett. “We’ve been working on this for years. The other side knows it. That’s why they’ve been engaged for voter suppression for so long. We saw record voter turnout. 1.8 million Democrats showed up and showed out more than ever and we saw it again in this election. And I think our side is going to be very energized to show up for the January 5th.”

Warnock, who is a reverend and leader of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, said his campaign website has received an uptick in internet traffic since Election Day.

“My campaign is fueled by ordinary people because that is who I’m standing up for,” Warnock said.

Georgia's other Senate runoff race will be between Republican Sen. David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff

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7:00 p.m. ET, November 7, 2020

Biden found out that he won the race from his grandchildren, source says

From CNN's Arlette Saenz

President-elect Joe Biden spent the majority of his time at home today with his family – taking in the moment they’ve worked for together for years.

In fact, it was his grandchildren who were the ones who informed him that the race was called in his favor, a source on the campaign says.

This photo posted by his oldest granddaughter Naomi was taken shortly after he learned he was now President-elect: