Pence announces Biden’s victory after Congress completes electoral count
The U.S. Congress has certified Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election at the end of a day marked by violence and chaos at Capitol Hill.
Vice President Pence officially affirmed the election results of President-elect Joe Biden’s win early Thursday after the angry supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol Hill building leading to attack that killed four people.
“To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win,” Vice President Pence said once lawmakers reconvened after many spent hours in lockdown. “Violence never wins. Freedom wins, and this is still the people’s house.”
Biden and Harris finished with 306 electoral votes, while Trump and Pence had 232. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Shortly thereafter, President Trump who had earlier told supporters that he would “never concede” said in a statement that “there will be an orderly transition on January 20th.”
The scene that unfolded at the Capitol on Wednesday followed months of escalating rhetoric from Trump and some Republican allies that sought to undermine the result of the November 3 election.
At least four people died, including a woman shot by police, officials said. Nearly 50 people were arrested by the police.
