By Omar Bah in Florida
Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has delivered a concession speech at Howard University, her alma mater, on Wednesday, acknowledging her defeat to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
In her address, Vice President Harris emphasized the importance of a peaceful transfer of power.
Harris’s concession speech marked a return to the tradition of acknowledging electoral defeat and pledging to work with the incoming administration, which had been disrupted by President-elect Donald Trump in the 2020 election when he refused to concede after losing to Joe Biden, which led to some chaotic scenes.
“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 as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” Harris told supporters in her first public address since the election.
“To President Biden and Dr. Biden, thank you for your faith and support. To Governor Walz and the Walz family, I know your service to our nation will continue. And to my extraordinary team, to the volunteers who gave so much of themselves, to the poll workers and the local election officials. I thank you. I thank you all. Look, 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. We have been intentional about building and building community and building coalitions—bringing people together from every walk of life and background united by love of country with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future.”
She added: “And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us. 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. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we would help him and his team with their transition. And that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
She said 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. At the same time, in our nation, 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. My allegiance to all three. Is why I am here to say, while I could see this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign? The fight for freedom, opportunity, 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,” she stated.
