Nancy Pelosi: 'We Did Not Win Every Battle...but We Did Win the War'

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has welcomed the election of former Vice President Joe Biden, though the race has yet to be called by any major news outlet and votes are still being counted.

Pelosi held a live briefing with reporters on Friday morning after Biden had pulled ahead of President Donald Trump in Georgia and Pennsylvania. She suggested it was time to prepare for a Biden administration.

The California Democrat also lamented the loss of several seats in the House, leaving her with a smaller majority, though she put this down to "Trump districts" won in 2018 which flipped back now the president was on the ballot.

"I am so officially pleased with the outcome that is imminent and also personally delighted because of the quality and caliber of leadership that Joe Biden will provide," Pelosi said.

"This morning it is clear that the Biden/Harris ticket will win the White House.

"His election is historic, propelled by the biggest vote ever in the history of our country - 73.8 million, and counting, Americans.

"President-elect Biden has a strong mandate to lead and he'll have a strong Democratic House with him and many Democrats in the Senate.

"This has been a life or death fight for the fate of our democracy, as he says, the soul of our country. We did not win every battle in the House but we did win the war.

"While we prepare for the new Biden administration, we must also move swiftly for a new coronavirus relief bill. We want the Republicans to come back to the table."

Responding to reports of divisions within House Democrats after a heated post-election call, Pelosi said that "our caucus has its differences" but she "would not want to lead a caucus that was a rubber stamp, lockstep caucus—that's the Republicans."

Pelosi is seeking another term as Speaker of the House.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.