Faced with a sweeping rejection by US voters, Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday conceded the presidential election to US president-elect Donald Trump and encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country.
Harris said the battle would continue “in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square.”
“Sometimes the fight takes a while,” she said at Howard University, her alma mater, where she had hoped to make a victory speech after the election. “That doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Harris’ decisive defeat shattered hopes that she could rescue Democrats’ chances after US President Joe Biden’s re-election effort stalled and she replaced him at the top of the ticket.
Despite her stark warnings about Trump, Harris reached for optimism on Wednesday.
“It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it’s going to be OK,” she told supporters as some of them wiped tears from their eyes.
Biden released a statement praising Harris after her speech, saying: “She will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy. She will continue to be a champion for all Americans. Above all, she will continue to be a leader our children will look up to for generations to come as she puts her stamp on America’s future.”
Minnesota Governor and Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, was in the audience with his family. So were former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and US Representative Barbara Lee, both from Harris’ home state of California.
Before her speech, Harris called Trump to congratulate him on his victory. She told the crowd that “we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” an implicit reference to Trump’s unwillingness to do the same four years ago.
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