Washington, November 7: 77-year-old Joe Biden, who was thought to have outlived his political career in 2016, is back at the centrestage of US polity as he has emerged the winner of what analysts considered as the "most crucial" presidential elections in the modern history of America. A Senator for 36 years, and a Vice President for 8 years, here is all you need to know about the President-elect. 'Joe Biden Elected 46th US President': CNN, AP, NYT, Fox Declare Final Election Results After He Wins Pennsylvania Taking Electoral Vote Count to 284.

Biden was born in the year 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and spent the formative years of his life in the province. He shifted to Delaware in late teenage years, and pursued education from the University of Delaware. He later went on to complete his post-graduation in law from the Syracuse University in 1968.

36 Years as Senator Marred With Personal Battles

The year 1972 brought Biden on to the national political map, as he was elected as a Senator of the Democratic Party from Delaware. He was re-elected for six consecutive terms, which political analysts describe as his biggest approval rating from the electoral constituency he represented for 36 years.

At age 29, Biden becomes one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. Weeks later, tragedy struck the Biden family when his wife Neilia and daughter Naomi were killed while his sons Hunter and Beau were critically injured in a car accident.

In 1977, he married his second wife Jill Biden -- who was a career academician. They gave birth to Biden's third child Ashley.

Since 1988, Biden was troubled with his health issues, requiring him to undergo critical brain injuries. In February that year, just months after he ended his first presidential bid, Biden suffered two life-threatening brain aneurysms.

Doctors at the time told him a White House campaign may have killed him. Although Biden survived, the brain cancer returned to haunt his family 35 years later. In 2015, Beau, his elder son, died of brain cancer at the age of 46. The younger Biden was seen as a rising star of US politics and had intended to run for Delaware state governor in 2016.

Despite the massive challenges in his personal life, the 36 years of Biden as a Senator cemented his legacy as Delaware. He is credited for strengthening the Democratic party using his white working class roots, forky flourishes and connect with the African-American voters.

His over three-decade congressional career has, however, witnessed some controversies. The 1994 crime bill that he drafted has been blamed for causing the mass incarceration of minorities and his eulogising of Senate colleague Strom Thurmond, a man who began his political career as a segregationist.

According to Al Jazeera, he has faced criticism for his role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the controversial grilling of Anita Hill during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Clarence Thomas in 1991. Hill had accused Thomas of sexual harassment.

Presidential Bids and 8 Years as VP

The year 2004 was also considered as his moment by many within the Democrats, but he eventually decided not to enter the race.

In 2008, Biden listed himself as a candidate for the White House, but was thwarted by the Barack Obama wave which trumped him in the primaries. Obama, after clinching the Democratic Party's nomination, asked him to join him as the running mate -- which Biden agreed to after initially declining.

The Obama-Biden duo won in 2008, followed by 2012. At the end of their eight years, it was expected that Biden would be the frontrunner for the presidential post. The party had, however, joined the Hillary Clinton bandwagon and many considered that Biden's age - then 74 - was not on his side.

A reluctant Biden did join the presidential race in 2020. Despite losing to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the initial set of primaries, the Super Tuesday contest changed the fate of his campaign. A spree of victories sealed his nomination in June this year, after he crossed over the threshold of required delegate counts.

Finally, Elected as The President

Four days after the Election Day, Biden was finally declared the presidential poll winner. The victory in Pennsylvania took his electoral college vote count to 284 -- higher than the 270 required to clinch the presidency.

See Joe Biden's Tweet After Winning Pennsylvania

"America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country. The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me," Biden said.

(With agency inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 07, 2020 11:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).