Biden wins Arizona

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was projected to win the critical battleground state of Arizona on Wednesday.

The Associated Press called the race for the former vice president at 2:51 a.m. ET, positioning him to secure the state’s 11 electoral votes.

The development came moments after Trump falsely declared victory in the overall election, despite hundreds of thousands of votes that remain to be counted.

A number of states, including key battlegrounds like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, have yet to be called.

It is not unusual for states to count votes in the day or days after the election. This year presents a unique challenges with the high volume of mail-in ballots, which often take longer to tally up.

Biden’s win in Arizona makes him the first Democrat to capture the Grand Canyon State since former President Clinton in 1996. Trump defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the state by roughly 4 points four years ago.

Polls going into Election Day showed a tight presidential race unfolding in Arizona.

Democrats are also projected to win a key Senate race in Arizona, bringing them a step closer to potentially taking control of the chamber next year.

The Associated Press called the Senate contest for Democrat Mark Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy captain and former astronaut who challenged Sen. Martha McSally (R).

Updated at 3:18 a.m.