CBS News is projecting Democrat Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, ousting incumbent President Donald Trump.
CBS projected the former vice president under President Barack Obama sealed his win by hitting the 270 electoral vote threshold. The state CBS and the Associated Press projected for Biden was Pennsylvania, putting him at 290 electoral votes as of Saturday evening.
Biden’s running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, also made history by becoming the first woman to be projected to become vice president of the U.S.
RELATED: Kamala Harris makes history as first woman elected vice president of the United States, CBS projects
"America, I'm honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country," Biden tweeted shortly after his projected win. "I will keep the faith that you have placed in me."
Harris also shared a message on social media shortly after she and Biden's projected White House win.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let's get started," she wrote.
The presidential race remained tight throughout Election Day, into the wee hours of the next day and into the weekend, as several states worked to keep counting their ballots.
As of Saturday morning, the Associated Press and CBS News projected Biden would have 290 electoral votes and Trump would have 214.
Leading up to Biden’s projected win, Trump falsely declared victory in several states in televised speeches and on Twitter. The soon-to-be former president also said his campaign would file lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan and asked for a recount in Wisconsin.
Trump also falsely claimed that “surprise” ballots were changing the outcome of the election.
It was a historic election for the country, as Americans continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been ongoing for nearly eight months. The pandemic, along with constantly shifting social media and political landscapes, resulted in a surge of Americans voting by mail and voting early.
Early voting records were shattered days before Election Day, especially in states like Florida, Arizona, Texas, Montana and several others. Hawaii was the first state to pass its 2016 vote total.
One of the key battleground states up for grabs in this election was Florida, which Trump won, snagging 29 Electoral College votes.
Both Biden and Trump held multiple campaign events in the Sunshine State in the week and days leading up to Nov. 3.
Much like the Trump campaign, Biden’s campaign focused on his plans for the economy, supporting the country through the pandemic and health care. However, Biden’s plans differed wildly from the soon-to-be former president’s platform.
When it comes to COVID-19, Biden said he will heed the advice of scientists and medical professionals when it comes to fighting the virus. He has pledged to work with state and local leaders across the country to push face mask mandates and has called on Congress to pass a sweeping response package.
As millions of Americans lost jobs, unemployment skyrocketed to its highest levels since the Great Depression; Biden promoted his “Build Back Better” plan to create millions of jobs and get aid to state and local governments. This plan focuses on putting more essential workers back to work to fight the pandemic through a “Public Health Jobs Corps” creating the infrastructure for cleaner energy.
When it comes to health care, Biden has promised to build upon the Affordable Care Act -- also called Obamacare -- set up by the former president.
Along with the pandemic, 2020 has also been a year defined by a cultural shift in acknowledging and addressing the country’s systemic racism following the deaths of several Black Americans in police custody. Biden often described the election as a “battle for the soul of the nation” and openly said that he believes the racism that still exists in the U.S. should be dealt with through social and economic programs.
One of the things Biden was questioned on repeatedly throughout his campaign is the shift from his “tough on crime” position in the 1990s. Facing scrutiny about his support for the 1994 crime bill that critics say contributed to mass incarceration, Biden now has said he wants to create policies to reduce incarceration and fix race disparities in the justice system.
When it comes to recent protests, Biden has expressed support for demonstrators but has not joined the call to “defund the police.” Instead, Biden has proposed more money for police, conditioned on improvements in their practices, as well as more federal funding be spent on education, social services and struggling cities to address the root causes of crime.
Support for Biden’s election mostly fell along party lines, with the vast majority of Democrats pushing for his win. Biden also received backing from several Republicans, including former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. And, more than 100 newspaper editorial boards wrote formal endorsements of Biden for president.
Biden’s inauguration is Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.