Why the AP Called the Race for Trump
Trump secured the presidency after winning Wisconsin early Wednesday, surpassing the 270 electoral votes needed to claim victory.
Latest on the House of Representatives
Republican control of the House of Representatives could significantly help Trump advance his presidential agenda. However, the outcome of some key races is still uncertain, with results from several districts expected in the coming days.
Although Harris may have ended her campaign against Trump, her concession speech framed the road ahead, highlighting the ongoing struggles Democrats will face under the new president. She specifically addressed young voters, acknowledging that while the loss was painful, the work to move forward continues. Harris used her speech to refocus attention on the future, stressing the importance of continued efforts for the issues that drove her campaign.
“While I concede this election,” she said, “I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign.”
“I will never give up a fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams ambitions and aspirations,” she said. America, she added, “will never give up the fight for our democracy.”
“We will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square,” Harris said, a nod to the work Democrats are poised to do in the next four years.
“Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up,” she said. “Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place.”
“This is not a time to throw up our hands,” said Harris. “This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
“Only when it is dark enough,” she said, “can you see the stars.”
During her speech, Harris called on her supporters to accept her defeat in the 2024 presidential election and emphasized her commitment to assisting Donald Trump with the transition process.
“Folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now, I get it. But we must accept the results of this election,” she said.
“Earlier today I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory,” Harris said to a smattering of boos from the audience. “I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
Harris addressed supporters at Howard University, acknowledging her loss in the race against Trump and conceding to the Republican president, who now holds a commanding mandate. She had originally planned to speak to the crowd on election night with a more optimistic message, but instead, as she took the stage at her alma mater, she faced a sea of American flags and a room filled with somber faces. Flanked by 30 flags, Harris delivered her remarks in a mood far different from what she had hoped.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” Harris 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.”
The vice president used what she called “a law of history,” recalling an adage that “only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
She concluded by saying “I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case,” she said. “America, if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, billion stars. The light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service.”
Just as she walked off, Harris made her exit to the strains of Beyoncé's “Freedom,” filing off the stage with her family.