As Vermonters gathered Saturday to celebrate or protest former Vice President Joe Biden's win in the presidential election, members of state's Congressional delegation said the election's outcome is an opportunity to heal divisions in the country. Cheering people and honking cars packed the intersection of Burlington’s Main and Church streets Saturday after the announcement that Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States.
Francesca Milazzo was among them. Milazzo is a chemistry grad student at UVM, and she said she could hear the celebration from her apartment and she decided to join in.
“Biden winning is just for women and for everybody disenfranchised, we're here to celebrate, this is amazing,” she said.
In Montpelier, supporters of President Donald Trump gathered on the Statehouse steps to protest the election’s outcome according to VTDigger.
Montpelier right now: Trump supporters chanting “stop the steal” on the Vermont Statehouse steps while counter demonstrators gather on the lawn pic.twitter.com/bShW75090D
— Mike Dougherty (@mdghty) November 7, 2020
Election results were delayed for days due to the time it took to count this year’s unprecedented number of mail-in ballots. Biden narrowly won after the votes were tallied in several key swing states this week.
President Trump has said he’ll file lawsuits to appeal the results. But Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy said Trump’s efforts to de-legitimize the election won’t work.
“He can tweet all he wants, I know the law, he’s not going to succeed,” Leahy said. “These are honest, fair elections, the people voted either for or against him, their votes will be counted.”
More from VPR: General Election 2020: National Results
Rep. Peter Welch said Biden will help the country more quickly recover from the damage caused by the coronavirus.
“We’re going to be able to start rebuilding, we’re going to treat each other better, it’s so, so hopeful,” Welch said. “I’m so happy, I just can’t believe it.”
In a tweet, Sen. Bernie Sanders encouraged people to organize to “create a government that works for ALL and not the few.”
I want to congratulate all those who worked so hard to make this historic day possible. Now, through our continued grassroots organizing, let us create a government that works for ALL and not the few. Let us create a nation built on justice, not greed and bigotry.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 7, 2020
Republican Gov. Phil Scott issued a statement Saturday congratulating President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Scott, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, voted for Biden.
In his statement, Scott said he hoped Biden would deliver on the “unifying leadership he committed to on the campaign trail,” and that Trump would “honor the will of the people and respect our democratic process.”
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