Vice President Kamala Harris encouraged supporters to “never give up the fight” as she conceded the election to Donald Trump in a poignant, yet optimistic, speech about the future of the USA.
Speaking on Wednesday to a disappointed crowd at Howard University in Washington D.C., Harris accepted it would be impossible for her to win the presidency and called Trump to concede the election, reports the Mirror.
She said: “Let me say, my heart is full today. Full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country.”
She added: “The light of America’s promise will always burn bright. We should never give up as long as we keep fighting.”
Harris continued: “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.”
“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.”
The Democrat told supporters it was “OK to feel sad and disappointed” and told them their causes of pro-choice and ending gun violence in the US were causes worth fighting for. “You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world,” she said.
“So, to everyone who is watching, do not despair,” Harris continued. “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
Harris added that she’d commit to the peaceful transfer of power, which was an obvious dig at Trump who did and has not conceded the result of the 2020 Presidential Election.
Harris enjoyed the opportunity after the withdrawal of Joe Biden from the race in July and competitively challenged Trump in the polls up until Tuesday. However, as the first results started to flood in from across the country, a pattern emerged that appeared to show the Republicans making clear gains on 2020.
Trump secured the red states, with his margin of victory increasing by substantial amounts on his position four years ago. Swing states also broke for Trump highlighting clearly that Harris would be denied a pathway to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.
The crushing election defeat will deal a heavy blow to Democrats who now have endorsed two women to go up against Trump, only to suffer decisive losses in the Electoral College.
Democrat analysts will be examining the clues that should have hinted at their defeat and how they can bring voters lost to Trump back into the fold.
Trump has been given a clear mandate from the American electorate to pursue his Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda.
He has promised to begin mass deportations of illegal immigrants, swiftly end the war in Ukraine and end the inflation crisis that swung many voters toward the Republicans.
The Republican has not firmly outlined how he will carry out his agenda but with the Senate and now the House being projected to fall under the party’s control, he is expected to face few challenges against his presidency in Washington D.C.
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