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In the early morning hours of November 6, the 2024 presidential election was called for Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance. That afternoon Vice President Kamala Harris officially conceded the race in a phone call to the Republican candidate.
“President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country,” Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, said in a statement, per NBC News.
In her concession speech, delivered at Howard University in Washington, DC, Harris was optimistic. “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,” the Democratic candidate said.
After giving thanks “to the poll workers and the local election officials,” Harris continued, “I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it. Over the 107 days of this campaign, we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions…united. By love of country with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future.”
Harris pointedly framed her response to a loss as different from Trump’s four years ago, when his refusal to concede resulted in an insurrection on Capitol Hill. “We must accept the results of this election,” Harris said, recalling her earlier phone conversation with her opponent. “I told him that we will help him and his team with his transition. And that we will engage in a peaceful transition of power. A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.”
Harris emphasized her commitment to America, telling the crowd, “We owe loyalty not to a president or to 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 concede this 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.” To reassure young people watching, she added, “Please know it’s gonna be okay,” and said, “Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up.”
As a further call to action, she noted, “To everyone who is watching, do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
Harris became the Democratic nominee mere months ago after President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance prompted him to leave the race, elevating his running mate as his de facto replacement. Harris soon replaced herself on the ticket with Tim Walz, and by the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, the stage was set for a Harris-Trump showdown. She benefited from endorsements by many big-name celebrities, including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift, but it wasn’t enough to carry any of the key swing states.
Kamala Harris smiles during a presidential debate with former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on September 10, 2024.
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At the DNC, VP Kamala Harris laid out her vision for the country and made it clear that a second Trump term was a threat to our democracy, saying, “Fellow Americans, this election is not only the most important of our lives. It is one of the most important in the life of our nation. In many ways Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious. Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost the last election…. And consider what he intends to do if we give him power again.”
In his victory speech, Trump said, “Every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you. And with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe, and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America. That’s what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again.”
Read more of Glamour’s 2024 election coverage here.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
