Kamala Harris Concedes to Trump

Facts

• US Vice Pres. Kamala Harris officially conceded the 2024 presidential election to former Pres. Donald Trump during a speech at Howard University in Washington, DC, on Wednesday afternoon.^[1][2]
• This came after Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond addressed a crowd at the university on election night, where he said they 'still have votes to count' and that Harris would speak 'tomorrow.'^[3][4]
• During her speech, Harris told the crowd that 'we must accept' the election results and 'engage in a peaceful transition of power.' She also said, 'While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,' and that they must 'keep fighting.'^[5][6]
• The event at Howard, which was set up at a lawn known as the 'Yard,' made Harris's presidential campaign the first to ever hold their election event on a college campus in modern history.^[7]
• Since 1896, only one presidential candidate (Trump, 2020) has not conducted a concession speech following an electoral defeat.^[8]
• As of late Thursday morning, the Associated Press has Trump with 295 Electoral College votes and 50.9% of the popular vote, to Harris' 226 Electoral College votes and 47.6% of the popular vote.^[9]

Sources: ^[1]New York Post, ^[2]Guardian (a), ^[3]FOX News, ^[4]Guardian (b), ^[5]New York Times, ^[6]Wsj, ^[7]Washington Post, ^[8]The American Presidency Project and ^[9]Associated Press.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by Guardian. Harris made a determined effort to protect democracy from what is seen by many as the existential threat of Donald Trump. She did everything she could to inspire voters to put her in the White House, from distancing herself strategically from Biden and highlighting Trump’s authoritarian tendencies, to engaging bipartisan figures and prioritizing women's rights. Harris is surely disappointed, but her acceptance of the results proves her love of country over self. It's time to get back to work and continue the fight for social progress.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Federalist and FOX News. This was an absolute clean sweep by Donald Trump and the GOP — shattering the mythical Democratic 'blue wall,' winning the popular vote, and securing the Senate and likely the House of Representatives. This is a strong mandate from the American people, and Trump's transition team is hard at work. The Democratic Party's woke ideology and alignment with failing institutions was a bust at the ballot box, and Democrats must walk a tightrope when it comes to their questionable election antics. Trump and the GOP are hard at work to make America great again.

Predictions