Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a 12-minute concession speech late Wednesday afternoon at her alma mater, Howard University, where she urged her supporters not to lose hope after losing the presidency in a defeat to Donald Trump.
“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the outcome. That principle, like any other principle, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks public trust must respect that,” said Harris, wearing a dark purple suit and sounding choked up upon hearing her remarks.
“At the same time, in our country we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States. And loyalty to our conscience and to our God,” she continued. “My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say: While I concede this election, I will not concede to the fight this campaign has fueled.”
The vice president implored the young voters who supported her on the campus of one of the nation’s top HBCUs not to lose hope. “It’s okay to feel sad and disappointed, but please know that it will be okay,” she said. “During the campaign I often said, ‘If we fight, we win.’ But the thing is, sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
The vice president’s supporters and Howard students gathered again on the school’s quad, which was supposed to be the site of her victory speech after a 107-day campaign. The mood was somber and the crowd silent. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the vice presidential candidate, appeared to hold back tears as TV cameras watched him take his seat moments before the speech. Harris’ family also looked emotional as they watched the scene.
On Tuesday night, the atmosphere at the Harris campaign watch party turned from jubilant to somber as results poured in, showing Harris trailing in swing state after swing state.
“It was still surprising to me – and I’ll be very honest – that so many people would support Donald Trump after seeing who he is, what he talks about, the rights he wants to take away. That’s still a surprise to me,” said Sonya Locket, a member of Harris’ graduating class, as the outcome crystallized Tuesday. “It is and it actually isn’t.”
Lisa Hargrove, a 48-year-old chief of staff for a civil rights organization, said it was disheartening what the election revealed about the country.
“It’s 2024. It’s a little unnerving how far apart the two sides are,” she said. “It’s so extreme, you know? I feel like most people I know and interact with are somewhere in the middle, on one side or the other, and just the fact that we are here now is just a lot to process.
Trump clinched a near sweep of the Electoral College, with the former president projected to win all seven swing states as well as the national popular vote, in a stunning upset of Democrats amid heightened concerns about the economy and immigration. Exit polls showed Trump making gains among nearly every demographic group, especially Latinos and young voters.
Harris called Trump earlier Wednesday to concede. Trump’s campaign said Harris “congratulated him on his historic victory,” while Trump praised the vice president’s “strength, professionalism and tenacity throughout the campaign,” Trump campaign director Steven Cheung said in a statement.
Not only did Trump not concede the 2020 election or publicly commit to an orderly transition of power, he also failed to show up at Joe Biden’s inauguration after inciting the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.
“There are no L’s,” said Jahmere Hargraves, a senior at Howard, as he left the election rally. “We turn all our Ls into lessons and our lessons into blessings.”
