In the 2020 US Elections that is marked by such uncertainty, it was reported late on Friday evening that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has taken the lead in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Shortly before 1400 GMT, CNN and The New York Times reported that Biden had moved ahead of incumbent President Donald Trump by more than 5,500 votes.
In many ways, this could be the 'decisive moment' in the race, since a victory in Pennsylvania for the former vice president would push him past the threshold of electoral votes needed to win the White House.
Conversely, this can also be regarded as the 'do-or-die' moment for incumbent president Donald Trump, who cannot be reelected if he loses Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, no matter how many states he goes on to win.
Here's why Pennsylvania matters
31,142 votes from the state of Pennsylvania have been tallied in the latest update, of which Biden received 27,396 (87%) against Trump's 3,760 votes.
Overall in the state, Biden has 3,295,304 votes, 49.4% of the total — while Trump has 3,289,717 votes, or 49.3%, CNN reported.
Biden currently has 253 electoral votes. If he wins Pennsylvania, with its 20 electoral votes, that would push him over the 270-electoral-vote threshold required to form the presidency.
Trump's only route to victory was projected to be deep-red Georgia and Pennsylvania, but in jolting developments throughout the day, Georgia was reported to have flipped blue, while Biden has now taken the lead in Pennsylvania.
It has been reported that 95% of the vote count in Keystone State is done.
Hinging on Pennsylvania is Trump's only hope for being reelected as the president, so it is likely that the White House is keenly putting all its hopes on the developments in the state.
Counting of mail-in ballots is still on, however, and election officials are allowed to receive and tally those up until Friday, so it is arguable that Trump still has a very narrow path to victory if only Pennsylvania turns around in his favour.
Around 25,000 ballots in Pennsylvania are yet to be counted, the bulk of which is coming in from Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.
What about other states?
It is to be noted that vote counting in five other states — Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Alaska, and Arizona — are still underway. Biden has been reported to be leading in at least three of these states — Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada.
Biden currently has at least 253 electoral votes. The magic number is 270. If he wins Pennsylvania -- a state won by Trump in 2016 -- and its 20 electoral votes, he would pass that threshold.
