Joe Biden Clinches Democratic Nomination for 2020 Presidential Election Against Donald Trump
Joe Biden has officially earned enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, setting the stage to challenge President Donald Trump in November.
The former vice president now has 1,995 delegates — surpassing the necessary 1,991 delegates to become the nominee — after sweeping all seven states that held primaries on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
Biden, 77, became the presumptive nominee after Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race in early April, and will officially be nominated to represent the party at the Democratic National Convention in mid-August.
"It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded," Biden said in a statement after clinching the nomination, the AP reported. "I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party."
"I am going to spend every day between now and November 3rd fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along," he vowed.
Folks, tonight we secured the 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. I'm going to spend every day fighting to earn your vote so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation. https://t.co/sl3wFGabpg
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 6, 2020
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"A little more than three months ago I stood on stage in South Carolina and told the American people that ours was a campaign for everyone who has been knocked down, counted out, and left behind," he recalled in his speech. "Those words take on an even greater resonance today, at a time when so many Americans are hurting and have suffered so much loss."
Biden added: "So many feel knocked down by the public health and economic crisis we are weathering. So many feel counted out and left behind by a society that has for too long viewed them as less than equal, their lives as less than precious."
As the nation continues to battle through the coronavirus pandemic and take to the streets in protests of the killing of George Floyd, Biden expressed the need for a change in leadership in the country.
"This is a difficult time in America’s history. And Donald Trump’s angry, divisive politics is no answer," the politician said. "The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us."
Biden securing the nomination comes days after he urged Americans to demand change amid the nation's protests.
Joe Biden/Facebook Joe Biden speaks with a man and a young woman at a protest site in Wilmington, Delaware on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Biden delivered a somber speech in Philadelphia in which he called for immediate congressional action on police reform and for unity while expressing understanding over outrage due to the killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man killed last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Biden said Floyd's death and the protests that have come afterward are "a wake-up call to the nation" and that the U.S. needs to "respond with action," vowing himself — if elected — to begin working on healing racial inequality and divides across the country.
“No more excuses, no more delays,” he said.
“It’s going to take more than talk," he added. "We’ve had talk before. We’ve had protests before. We’ve got to now vow to make this at least an error of action and reverse the systemic racism with long-overdue concrete changes ... It’s going to take the work of a generation.”
Biden is expected to attend Floyd's memorial service in Houston on Monday, according to Forbes.
