After a tense four days of waiting, former Vice President Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States. The historic victory has implications for millions of Americans, including entrepreneurs and business leaders, who will now shift to doing business under Democratic leadership.
Reactions to Biden’s win continue to pour in, but some have started to share their thoughts. Bill Gates was among the first to congratulate Biden and Vice President–elect Kamala Harris, saying he looks “forward to working with the new administration and leaders on both sides in Congress on getting the surging pandemic under control, engaging partners around the world on issues like poverty and climate change, and addressing issues of inequality and opportunity at home.”
Another member of the Microsoft community, Brad Smith, who serves as the company’s president, shared his thoughts in a company blog post.
“Election Day this year turned into a very long and tense election week, with many Americans glued to their screens anxiously awaiting the outcome,” he wrote. “It has been commonplace to hear pundits speculate that we have seldom seemed such a divided country. If true, this also makes a different proposition even more self-evident. If we are to move forward as a nation, we must build new bridges to close the gaps that divide us.”
In a released statement, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said, “Now is a time for unity.”
Laurene Powell Jobs shared a celebratory GIF of Biden and Harris, writing, “We celebrate our democracy, our common humanity, and a glass ceiling shattered once and for all.” Harris is the first woman elected as vice president, as well as the first Black and Asian woman elected to the office.
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg also congratulated Harris for breaking the glass ceiling, celebrating her “remarkable achievement.”
“There are times when America takes a big step toward creating a government that reflects the diverse country we are,” Sandberg wrote in a post on Facebook. “Today is one of those days. I’m thinking with joy about young people across the country watching the news today and thinking, ‘Maybe I can lead this nation too.’”
AOL cofounder Steve Case tweeted his congratulations to Biden. “I’ve known Joe Biden for three decades,” he wrote. “He is a good man, and a great American. He has the experience & character to bring us together. He can bring hope & opportunity to the people & places that have been left behind. I am *delighted* he will be our next President.”
