An emotional Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to a crowd of her supporters Wednesday at Howard University in Washington, D.C. to deliver her concession speech. In the brief address, she thanked her campaign staff and volunteers, as well as her allies including President Joe Biden, Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, and their families. The vice president then told the crowd that she was proud of the way that her campaign had been conducted, but that it was necessary to accept the results of the election. She informed the audience that she had called president-elect Trump to congratulate him on his success, and assured him that the White House would cooperate with his team to secure a smooth transition.

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Harris then took the time to emphasize the importance of the orderly and peaceable transfer of power as a vital component of American democracy, and argued that anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it as part of their fidelity to the Constitution of the United States.

To close, Harris recapitulated a number of her campaign’s priorities, declaring that she would continue to fight for democracy, the rule of law, equal justice, and abortion rights for all Americans. She acknowledged that some people might feel fear or disappointment, and reassured them that they would prevail in time: “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars,” she said.

The event marked the close of the 2024 presidential election, with attention now turning to the presidential transition and the composition of the incoming administration.