Delays on 14th Street Bridge Due to Road Closures as Biden Named President-Elect

With former Vice President Joe Biden being named president-elect this morning by the Associated Press and others, celebrations in D.C. area leading to traffic on the 14th Street Bridge.

“Expect traffic delays around [northbound I-395] at the 14th Street Bridge due to street closures in DC around the White House,” said an Arlington Alert. The closures were prompted by impromptu celebrations around D.C., including large gatherings outside the White House.

Around Arlington — which voted for the Biden/Harris ticket over Trump/Pence by a margin of 81%-17% — horns honked and people cheered after the race was called.

https://twitter.com/trilly__vanilly/status/1325116257063084032

https://twitter.com/JulieMalear/status/1325122833253425155

Cheers happening in Arlington, VA right now after the #Election2020results! #bidenharis2020 pic.twitter.com/zw8t9XeSmm

— Total (@HannahFoll) November 7, 2020

A number of local officials have released statements about Biden’s presumptive electoral victory.

From Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.):

I extend my warmest congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their massive victory in the presidential election. Though it is taking time to count, they are on track for major wins in every region of the country, with more votes than any candidate in history. When he is sworn as Commander in Chief in on January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden will have a strong governing mandate.

I recognize that this election has shown we are a divided nation, but we also have grave challenges that require immediate action. The time has come for President Trump to accept his defeat, pass the torch, and ensure an orderly transition of government for the Biden Administration. He has a unique power in this situation to promote national unity and to spare the country further dangerous civil strife by following the example of every American President, beginning with George Washington: the peaceful transfer of power.

We have been bitterly divided, but what unites us – including love of country, the Constitution, and our democratic ideals – must be stronger. Inflammatory rhetoric which undermines Americans’ faith in their national elections threatens lasting harm to our society, and it must stop. The country must come first.

“Our nation faces serious threats, including the pandemic and the stalling economic recovery. At this time of crisis, all leaders regardless of party must come together to support the President-Elect. He must be given the support he needs to take the helm of government, including swift consideration and confirmation of his team, so that he can take the country forward. We have no time to lose – there is serious work to be done.”

From Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garey:

At last! Biden is the President-elect and has overcome voter suppression, voter intimidation, a pandemic, and an Electoral College system that makes a Democratic win extremely difficult even with a large popular vote margin. And at last for the first time in our history, we have a woman and a woman of color Vice President-elect.

Over the last two presidential elections, the flaws in our democracy have become so clear.

I am grateful to everyone nationwide who stood in line to vote, knocked doors, made calls, wrote postcards. I am grateful to the thousands of public servants who ran honest and safe elections, who swept post offices to find and deliver ballots and who are, still, working to make sure every vote is counted. Special praise goes to Stacey Abrams and Fair Fight. We the People took back our country.

All this brings me to the future and the uncomfortable realization that nearly half the country wanted a sociopath in the White House, believes a leader lying is OK, and who actually do not believe in the stated principles on which our nation was founded. Half of us are working towards a more perfect Union, but half of us are not.

With the Biden-Harris win, we have come a long way toward restoring the soul of our country and insuring the foundational ideals of our democracy. Yes, we, clearly, have much difficult work ahead, but for a moment, let’s celebrate each other and a beautiful victory.

From the Arlington County Democratic Committee:

Months of campaign work by the Arlington County Democratic Committee (Arlington Democrats) that had to be re-imagined to comply with public safety measures required by the COVID-19 pandemic paid off with a slate of victories by candidates supported by the party, including President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris.

Biden and Harris declared victory today after the conclusion of the standard post-election vote counting process in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania, which pushed the Democratic ticket over the required 270 electoral college votes. This year’s count took longer than previous elections because pandemic-related recommended social distancing measures prompted record-breaking early and mail-in voting, which produced ballots that generally took longer to count and overwhelmingly favored the Democratic ticket. Biden won both the Electoral College and popular vote, garnering more than any presidential candidate in U.S. history. Harris also made history in her own right, becoming the first woman, first African-American, and first Indian-American to be elected vice president.