President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Courtesy/Biden-Harris Campaign
POLITICAL News:
A variety of officials and organizations have issued statements today regarding the election of Joe Biden as the next President of the United States and Kamala Harris as the next Vice President.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
“Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump and is now the next President of the United States. Not only did we make history with record turnout in New Mexico and across the country, but we also elected Kamala Harris — the first woman of color — as our next Vice President.
“I am enormously proud of the unifying and positive campaigns that Democrats ran in this election cycle, from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, to Ben Ray Luján, Deb Haaland, Xochitl Torres Small, Teresa Leger Fernandez, and candidates in state and local races up and down the ballot in New Mexico. We have so much to be proud of.
“As President-elect Biden said on the campaign trail, we are in a fight for the soul of the nation. That started with winning back the White House, but it doesn’t end there. The battle for the United States Senate isn’t over yet. And Donald Trump will continue to try to undermine our democracy by lying, demanding recounts, and filing frivolous lawsuits.
“The responsibility to restore America’s moral standing falls on all of us in the months and years ahead. There is real work ahead to make sure our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our schools, and our public lands are places where all of us belong and thrive.
“I’m confident that we can unite our nation, take on the pandemic armed with facts and science, and undo the damage the Trump administration has done to our communities, our country, and our environment. That means rebuilding our economy, expanding health care to all Americans, taking bold action to address climate change, and continuing the march toward equality.
“This moment would not be possible without the support of this community. Because of you, we proved once again that our democracy is alive and well. Because of you, we showed that it’s We The People who decide the outcome of elections. And it is because of you that I have hope for the future. Together, we will continue this fight for progress, for prosperity, for fairness, and for the belief in a better tomorrow. Our kids deserve nothing less.”
U.S. Senator-elect Ben Ray Luján
“This is a historic moment for New Mexicans and for Americans across the country. President-elect Biden is a proven leader who will bring Americans together to build a better future for our country. He will be the champion that Americans need in the White House, and I know he will embody New Mexico’s values of hard work and treating others with respect and dignity.
“During these challenging times, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will bring our country together and help get us on the path to recovery. I’m looking forward to working with them both – on day one – to help our communities rebuild and recover from COVID-19, increase access to affordable health care, and expand economic opportunities for all Americans.”
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Marg Elliston
After months of campaigning, Vice President Joe Biden was called today as the winner of the United States Presidential race:
“We are so excited to have elected a president who truly represents our values. Joe Biden has a plan to get our country back on track and build a brighter future for all Americans. We look forward to four years of progress under a leader who can restore the soul of our nation.”
Emerge President A’shanti F. Gholar
“We are thrilled that voters have elected Joe Biden as our next president. He is the perfect person to right the ship and set America on a path towards a brighter future after the nightmarish past four years. President-Elect Biden and his team have demonstrated that they are competent, capable and compassionate to the needs of everyday Americans. It will be exciting to see what the next four years bring.
“Millions of American voters have made history by electing the first woman Vice President. And Kamala Harris won’t just be the first woman Vice President–she will also be the first woman of color to serve in the role. I always say that if you can see it, you can be it, and I hope that this inspires more women of color to get involved in politics. It’s critical that we don’t stop here, and we look forward to seeing President-elect Biden’s administration continue to select women, particularly women of color, for key leadership and cabinet positions.
“As we leave the last administration behind us, we know we have so much work to do. The Biden Administration along with Democratic women elected to office across the country have an incredible opportunity to enact policies that strengthen our communities and safeguard our democracy. We can’t wait to work with them as we all strive to build a more equitable country.”
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
“Democracy is prevailing. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ victory in this free and fair election is a win for America’s labor movement. Everywhere in every way, working people are heroically and resiliently fighting back against this pandemic, its economic fall out, chronic income inequality and systemic racism. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris saw us, heard us and campaigned on a promise that we, as one nation, will build back even better than before. That is why working people decisively rejected the politics of darkness and division and voted in record numbers for public servants who want to join us in writing America’s comeback story.
“Let’s be clear: Union voters delivered this election for Biden and Harris. Their message and commitment to create “the most significant pro-labor, pro-worker administration” resonated with our 12.5 million members and 56 affiliated unions who are hungry for a bigger voice in our economy and our politics.
“Now the AFL-CIO stands ready to help the president-elect and vice president-elect deliver a long overdue workers’ first agenda. That starts with passing the HEROES Act to provide our families and communities emergency support and services in the face of this deadly virus. But COVID-19 relief is just that—relief.
“Once working people are made whole, the real rebuilding can begin. We call on Congress to pass and Biden to sign the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act early in 2021 to make sure every worker who wants to form or join a union is able to do so freely and fairly. Working people want our leaders to act swiftly and think more boldly than ever before. The time to begin is now.”
Family Policy Alliance
“This week, the American people elected former Vice President Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Because of the unusual circumstances of this election (and the razor-thin margins between the candidates), there is ongoing litigation surrounding the election and we may days away from resolution. Nonetheless, we congratulate Mr. Biden on what appears to be an election victory.
“It is no secret that this is not the election outcome we at Family Policy Alliance – and many Christians across the country – had hoped for. Our soon-to-be President and especially Vice President-elect Harris have made it clear that they do not value the lives of babies in the womb. They support a radical LGBT ideology that includes helping children undergo major surgeries and hormone suppressants in order to “identify” as the opposite sex. And they do not believe in the same role for parental choice and religious freedom at school that we hold as a standard.
“Nonetheless, we are encouraged and motivated to make the most of this unique season in our nation’s history. As a faith-based ministry, our hope has never rested in any political leader, regardless of party, but in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“At Family Policy Alliance, we are deep in the work of defending the family across the nation. This season will be no different, and in fact will pose new challenges that give us the opportunity to craft new solutions. We’re excited about that. And, even as we work to protect families on the national level, we’ll also continue the heart of our work: transforming policy at the state level. So many decisions – including important decisions about abortion, education, and other family issues – are made at the state level. As we look ahead to 2021, we’re looking with joy, hope, and anticipation of the work we’ll get to do on behalf of families. As always, it will be hard work, but we’re honored to be a voice for families and Christ-followers in state capitols and the U.S. Capitol.”
Democracy for America Chair Charles Chamberlain
“With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s decisive electoral college victory and growing 4.1+ million plus national popular vote lead, America has delivered an unambiguous rejection of Donald Trump’s bigoted, corrupt, and anti-democratic political agenda.
“It’s also important for us to take a moment and recognize that our country also doubled-down on its rejection of white supremacy and institutional misogyny by electing Kamala Harris, the daughter of Black and Asian American parents, to be our first female Vice President. We’ve still got a lot of work left to do as a country, but Vice President-elect Harris’ victory tonight is a historic step forward for women of color in our nation.
“After four long years, Americans have delivered a mandate for change in our nation’s capital to competently address the physical and economic suffering caused by the Coronavirus crisis; confront structural racism in our nation; deliver a public health insurance option that gets us closer to Medicare for All; and take real steps towards addressing our climate crisis in working towards a Green New Deal.
“Americans came together in a positive fight for change and rejected the policies of hate, and now Democracy for America members and grassroots progressives across the country are ready to ensure our allies in Congress and the White House deliver on the promise to build back better.”
Western Resource Advocates President Jon Goldin-Dubois
“The clear victory by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is historic, and today – like many Americans – we’re celebrating leaders who value decency, equality, and respect for all people; who will work to protect our communities and our environment for future generations; and who will again advance solutions based on the best scientific evidence.
“We’re celebrating today, but tomorrow, we’ll get back to work because this is the most critical period we have faced in the fight to combat the climate crisis, to ensure livable communities, and prevent the vast majority of species on the planet from spiraling toward extinction. There’s no time to waste – we have to reverse four years of environmental rollbacks and run to catch up on the ground we’ve lost when it comes to the climate crisis. And we have to do it at every level of government – local, state, and federal. Remember that no matter what anyone in Washington says, the most meaningful climate action we’ve seen in the United States that has resulted in real climate pollution reductions, has been made at the state and local level.
“We need to triple down on every bet that can get results, and Western Resource Advocates will be working everywhere we can to apply the science, policy, and strategy we need to protect the West’s land, air, water, and climate.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez
“The American people chose hope. They chose dignity and opportunity for all. They chose to build back better. And after four years of hate and division, they chose unity. Now it’s time for our nation to come together. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are ready to go to work for American families. They will not just be president and vice president for Democrats, but for all Americans. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will begin to heal our nation’s wounds, rebuild our economy, and put Americans back to work.
“This is a historic victory. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won more votes than any other ticket in American history. We rebuilt the blue wall in the Midwest and flipped formerly red states like Georgia and Arizona. And Kamala Harris made history as the first woman and first person of color to be elected vice president of the United States. We’ll tell our grandchildren about this moment. We’ll tell them how Kamala Harris broke down barriers and showed future generations, especially young women of color, that there is no height to which they cannot aspire. We’ll tell them how millions of Americans organized and mobilized to lift Joe and Kamala to victory.
“This success didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of four years of hard work by countless grassroots activists across the country who marched, organized, and voted for the brighter future they deserve, who turned their anguish into action and made their voices heard. The DNC was proud to support their efforts by building the strongest infrastructure for a party nominee in our history. From the moment I took over the DNC in 2017, we began laying the groundwork to take back the White House and support Democrats at every level of the ballot.
“We engaged the grassroots and shattered fundraising records; we invested early and organized everywhere; we marched, and we tried to give a voice to the voiceless; we worked hand in hand with state parties and took no voter for granted; we championed diverse candidates and brought barriers of color, creed, sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity crashing down. And our work paid off in spades. Over four years, we took back the House, the White House, and governorships across the country. We won hundreds of seats down the ballot and we will compete in two runoff elections that will determine the balance of the Senate.
“So today, we celebrate. We celebrate not just the end of an incompetent and compassionless presidency, but the beginning of a better one – a presidency grounded in the values of inclusion and opportunity for all. A presidency that believes health care is a right, diversity is a strength, and our economy should work for everyone.
“To the families of those who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19, and to all our Americans yearning for change, our message is simple: You will finally get the leadership you deserve. The era of cruelty, chaos, and corruption is over. It’s time to build back better.”
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Marg Elliston
“We are so excited to have elected a president who truly represents our values. Joe Biden has a plan to get our country back on track and build a brighter future for all Americans.
“We look forward to four years of progress under a leader who can restore the soul of our nation.”
