And U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, congratulated Biden and Harris, tweeting: “Look forward to working with them to do great things for the American people these next four years!”

The Associated Press and several television networks called the race for Democratic challenger Biden over Republican President Donald Trump shortly before 9:30 a.m. MT November 7, saying Biden had secured more electoral votes than the 270 needed for victory. As of midday Saturday morning, Biden was leading Trump in the national vote total by 4.15 million.

The victory projection followed a tense few days as Americans waited anxiously for closely divided states to count enough ballots to determine who had prevailed in the presidential race. Vote counting continues in some states, slowed partly by a surge in mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden issued a statement Saturday morning saying he was “honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris.”

He added: "In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America. With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together."

Trump -- who has repeatedly complained of fraud in the election without citing any evidence -- did not immediately concede defeat, issuing a statement saying that “this election is far from over.”

And U.S. Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, the Republican upstart who will represent western and southern Colorado in the next Congress, tweeted: “The American people will have the final word, not the media."

Kris Cook, chair of the Denver Republican Party, told Ernest Luning of Colorado Politics: “Given that litigation is pending, the Denver GOP does not believe that the American people have the results of the election yet. Until the ballot counts are audited, litigated and certified, the ‘results’ have only come from media sources, which have proven themselves repeatedly and viciously aligned against President Trump throughout his administration.”

But some prominent Republicans accepted the election outcome and congratulated Biden, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, brother and son of two former Republican presidents, and U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the only Republican to vote for Trump’s removal from office following his impeachment early this year.

Around metro Denver, outbursts of cheering and horn honking could be heard in many neighborhoods as word spread of the election call.

Biden and Harris won in Colorado by a decisive 13.2 percentage point margin, with 55.26% of the vote to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence’s 42.08%, according to unofficial results. AP called Colorado for Biden just 36 minutes after polls closed Tuesday.

In their statements Saturday, Polis and Hancock pushed back against Trump’s allegations of misconduct in the election.

“What makes America extraordinary is that our elections are safe and secure and that the results reflect the will of the people,” Polis said. “Every legitimate vote is counted and a winner is declared and we all respect the process. In 2020, Coloradans showed the world that our election system is safe, reliable and our democracy functions at its best when we break down barriers to ensure more people vote.”

The governor said he was “excited to work with the Biden-Harris administration to continue building a Colorado for all, and a United States of America for all."

“I want to thank everyone for their patience while all the votes were counted, and for the record number of people who exercised their right to vote,” Hancock tweeted.

In Colorado, voter turnout set a new record in the election.

“This is a victory for hope, decency and the promise of the American people,” Hancock added. “Come January, the dysfunction will be over. President-elect Biden has faced this type of challenge before, working with President Obama to pull us out of the Great Recession, and he’ll be ready on Day 1 to take the steps needed to get this pandemic under control. He’ll be ready to rebuild our economy and work with Congress to get a stimulus deal that struggling Americans and businesses desperately need right now. He’ll be ready to bring honor and respect back to the White House. This is a new day for our country, and now that the election is over, it’s time for us to come together, to move forward together, and rebuild together.”

Sen.-elect John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who defeated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Tuesday’s election, tweeted: “Congratulations to my good friends @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. It's been a long, tough road — but we are going to rebuild from this crisis and restore the soul of this great nation. I look forward to working with you in Washington!”

Gardner did not immediately offer a comment.

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing Denver in Congress, tweeted: “Congratulations to PRESIDENT-ELECT @JoeBiden! And to the first woman to ever become VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT of the United States, @KamalaHarris! Today, we made history. Tomorrow, we get to work.”

Said U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat representing Aurora and Denver’s southern suburbs: “Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris! America made clear who we are as a nation. … We now have the opportunity to come together as a nation to tackle our collective challenges.”

“With more people voting for Joe Biden than any other presidential candidate in history, this was a historically hard-fought victory,” said a tweet from Colorado state Senate President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. “Rather than succumb to fear, hate, & cynicism, people chose to believe that things could change for the better. But this is just the beginning. We are standing at the foot of an enormous challenge that in many ways feels insurmountable. Bringing the country together will take unparalleled effort, patience, and compassion. I believe we are up to the task and that President-elect Biden will heal our nation’s divides

In a statement, the environmental group Conservation Colorado said Biden’s victory sets the stage for action on climate issues.

“From the presidential race down to local initiatives, Coloradans voted to support our climate and our communities. Now the work to build back better begins,” said Conservation Colorado Executive Director Kelly Nordini. “ … We need President-elect Biden to implement his bold climate plan in the White House and support states innovating to reduce pollution and tackling climate change.”

Check back with rmpbs.org through the day for more Colorado voices reacting to the Biden-Harris victory.