Vice President Harris formally conceded the 2024 election on Wednesday, urging her supporters not to despair her loss to President-elect Donald Trump and to “never give up the fight for our democracy.”
“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.”
Harris spoke from the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., her alma mater and the site of what supporters had hoped would be her victory party less than 24 hours earlier. Harris has often credited the historically Black college with shaping her personal and professional identities.
Harris stressed the importance of accepting the election result, calling it “a fundamental principle of American democracy,” along with loyalty to the U.S. Constitution, conscience and God.
“My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said. “The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and for 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 spoke of a future where women have bodily autonomy, streets and schools are safe from gun violence and “every one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out, has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”
She said that fight will be waged in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square, but also in quieter ways, like treating strangers with respect and lifting people up. And she acknowledged that “sometimes the fight takes a while — that doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
Addressing young people specifically, Harris said the important thing is to never stop trying to make the world better.
