Harris Concedes US Election, Calls for Continued Support
United States Vice President Kamala Harris conceded defeat in the 2024 US presidential election in a speech at Washington DC’s Howard University late Wednesday (Nov. 6).
The Associated Press reported that Harris was expected to address a crowd of supporters on the night of the election, but it is understood the crowd was asked to disperse after receiving reports Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump won both electoral college and popular votes.
During her speech, she said she reached out to Trump to congratulate him and promised to “engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign…” she added. “This is not a time to throw up our hands; this is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
Her speech was attended by her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, as well as her running mate Minnesota governor Tim Walz and his wife Gwen. She thanked them and outgoing US President Joe Biden for their support and trust in the election campaign.
Howard is Harris’s alma mater and the Harris campaign chose the campus as the venue of its watch party.
Trump earlier claimed victory after winning the battleground state of Pennsylvania and before obtaining the 270 electoral college votes needed to win.
Harris: The Fight Continues
Despite her defeat in the race to the White House, Harris insisted that she would continue to fight for the policies the outgoing Biden administration and the Democratic Party have long been promoting, such as abortion, gun control, and immigration.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” she said. “But hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
Harris also particularly addressed younger voters who voted for her, telling them to continue the fight for Democrat policies.
“You have power, and don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before,” she exhorted. “You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world.”
Meanwhile, Sky News reported Biden’s response to Harris’s concession, expressing confidence that she would “continue” the fight for the policies his administration implemented. It is also understood that he congratulated Trump and also assured his cooperation for a smooth transition of power.