Vice President Kamala Harris publicly conceded the 2024 election to President-elect Donald Trump in a hopeful press conference at her alma mater Howard University on Wednesday.
“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. The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” she said from Washington, D.C. “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.
“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. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. 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 continued. “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.”
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a message to “the young people who are watching” during her concession speech.
“At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a nation or party, but to the Constitution,” she added the day after Election Day 2024.
“While I conceded the election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.
“The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people, a fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best: That is a fight I will never give up,” Harris said.
“I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations, where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do. We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and our streets from gun violence.
“There is an adage: Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. 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. But here’s the thing, America: If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a billion brilliant stars,” she concluded.
“The light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service. May that work guide us, even in the face of setbacks, toward the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.
“I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now,” Vice President Kamala Harris says in her concession speech. “I get it. But we must accept the results of this election.”
