Joe Biden has declared that “every vote must be counted” in the US presidential election, pushing back against Donald Trump’s call for counting to stop in some states.
The Democratic candidate said he still feels “very good about where we stand” and that he has “no doubt” he will be declared the winner.
It comes as five nail-biting races in battleground states remain too close to call.
Biden is just 17 Electoral College votes short of the 270 either candidate needs to clinch the White House.
If he takes Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump is ahead but seeing his lead shrink, that would give Biden 20 more Electoral College votes and push him over the line.
If he fails to flip the key state from red to blue, then the remaining races will be even tighter.
Trump has already claimed victory in the election and accused his political opponents of a “fraud on the American public” and called for some counts to cease.
He is claiming – without evidence – widespread ballot tampering.
Biden used the address as an opportunity get on the front foot. It was an overt attempt to cast himself as presidential – addressing the COVID-19 situation in the beginning, an issue that still bothers many Americans.