BY ALEXIS ARASMITH
Joe Biden has run for president in 1988, 2008, and now 2020. After two prior defeats, Biden obtained more votes across America as opposed to his counterpart, Donald Trump, winning the 2020 election.
At 78 years old, America is anticipating the oldest president in history to be sworn in as the next leader with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to be inaugurated on January 20.
However, prior to inauguration day, all of America watched as election day and night unfolded.
Due to COVID-19, there were delays in counting votes in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona. After all of the votes were counted over the ensuing days, Biden surpassed the 270 electoral votes needed to beat Trump, 306-232.
While this news shocked many Americans, Trump believes the race for presidency isn’t over. Trump and his campaign have filed lawsuits related to improper ballot counting and election abnormalities in five of the states where Biden took the lead.
Isaac Schoen, a junior at Fort Hays State University, said he is a registered Republican, but will always be an American first.
“If Donald Trump truly lost this election, then he needs to do what every single runner-up has done in the past: allow for a smooth transition of power between administrations,” Schoen said. “However, President Trump does have the right to ask for a recount.”
Whether Trump’s lawsuits will fall into this next step for America or not, what will come from the next presidency will affect all Americans regardless of who is inaugurated in January.
Dalton Benedick, a student at North Central Kansas Technical College in Hays, said he looks forward to seeing a change for the minority driven groups and campaigns for equality in the next presidency.
“The LGBT community specifically was a large contributor to Biden’s victory, but with how Biden has shown double standards in the past, I fear that he will neglect to acknowledge what a great portion of his campaign was about: equality,” Benedick said.