Kamala Harris formally conceded [1] the presidential race to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon, addressing supporters at her alma mater, Howard University, in Washington, D.C.
Harris acknowledged the election’s outcome while urging her followers to hold onto the values that had driven her campaign and the principles of American democracy.
“My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve,” Harris said in her remarks. “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say the light of America’s promise will always burn bright.”
Harris expressed pride in her campaign, which spanned 107 days, thanking her supporters for their dedication. “I am so proud of the race we ran. And the way we ran it. And the way we ran it over the 107 days of this campaign,” she said.
Harris urged her supporters to accept the results, stating, “Now I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it. But we must accept the results of this election.” She confirmed that she had reached out to President-elect Trump earlier in the day to offer her congratulations on his victory.
Despite the concession, Harris emphasized her commitment to her principles and the values she believes define America. “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the result,” she stated. “That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.”
She went on to stress the importance of loyalty not to any individual or political party but to the Constitution and to personal conscience and faith.
“My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fuels this campaign,” Harris declared, signaling her intention to remain active in the pursuit of the ideals her campaign championed.
The Associated Press officially called the election for Trump early Wednesday morning, with projections indicating that Trump secured 292 electoral votes compared to Harris’s 226. This victory marks Trump’s return to the White House after his 2020 defeat by President Joe Biden, making him the second U.S. president to serve non-consecutive terms since Grover Cleveland.
Harris’s concession follows a closely watched race that saw both candidates making late campaign stops in battleground states. In the final days, Harris had urged voters to back her vision of progress, contrasting sharply with Trump’s campaign, which highlighted economic recovery and border security.
In her concession speech, Harris encouraged Americans to keep faith in the democratic process, even in the face of disappointment. “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 said, reiterating her commitment to American democracy.
Full Kamala Harris concession speech.
You know as I’ve grown up I’ve came to a sad realization, we remember many of our politicians by their words not their actions.
In the future, kids and adults will see this speech and think ‘wow what a speech’, and if you broke it down… pic.twitter.com/uc0uuEFLZ2 [2]
— End Tribalism in Politics (@EndTribalism) November 6, 2024 [3]
Harris’s remarks at Howard University were received by a crowd of supporters who had gathered to hear her final message as a candidate.
Her speech, both reflective and forward-looking, aimed to rally her base and affirm her dedication to the causes she had championed throughout her political career.