Kamala concedes, but fight continues
Vice President Kamala Harris formally conceded the 2024 presidential election on Wednesday afternoon before a crowd at Howard University, concluding a historic run that would have made her the first woman, second Black person, and first person of South Asian descent to ascend to the country’s highest office.
“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, and full of resolve,” Harris said in her concession speech to supporters at her alma mater in Washington, D.C.
The Associated Press officially called the 2024 U.S presidential race for Donald Trump. Earlier on Wednesday, Harris phoned the former president and his running mate, J.D. Vance, and offered her congratulations.
Harris received rounds of applause from students and supporters as she thanked all those who worked tirelessly on her historic 107-day presidential campaign and doubled down on the need for a “peaceful transition of power” and acceptance of the electoral vote. “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said.
After President Joe Biden decided against seeking re-election, Harris’s overnight candidacy initially inspired a diverse coalition of voters. Black women especially started campaigning and fundraising nationwide for Harris as soon as the announcement was made. Throughout her few months of campaigning, Harris focused on issues such as climate change, social justice, healthcare, abortion care, and promoting economic equality. Momentum for her campaign stalled a bit around issues like immigration and how to deal with the ongoing Israel-Palestine war.
At the close of the polls nationwide, Trump pulled ahead and Harris trailed behind for the next several hours until the AP called the race in his favor in the early morning, according to the unofficial count on Election Night.
News outlets described the defeat as particularly bitter for Harris, since it’s her duty as the sitting vice president to oversee Congress’s ceremonial certification of Trump’s win in January 2025. It’s the same role that former Vice President Mike Pence played in 2020, when Trump directed his supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol.
New York electeds and advocates reacted with enthusiasm and grit for what’s expected in the coming years.
“New York City and the people who call it home are resilient, and we will always remain steadfast in our commitment to the values that shape our communities,” said NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. She said that while she was disappointed by the outcome of the presidential election, city leadership is prepared to protect New Yorkers from any potential anti-democratic and unconstitutional attacks.
“Unfortunately, in politics, there are winners and losers,” said Brooklyn Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn in a statement. “Many have expressed disappointment, even anger, but I urge you to keep maintaining that unity we held before the elections, while remembering we live in a democracy: We can still find strength in our diversity, to keep moving forward; stronger together.”
State Senator Jessica Ramos, a candidate for New York City’s upcoming mayoral race, said New York is likely to “be tested daily” under a second term with Trump. She said that for too long, the “wrong Democrats” have expected voters to fight for them without returning the favor and that the party has to rethink how it approaches Black, Latino, and Asian voters. Overall, she wanted people to have hope for the future.
“We remain defiant in the face of hatred and resolved to stand up to whatever is thrown our way from a White House, Senate, and Supreme Court that have already telegraphed their plans to rip away the rights and freedoms that took generations of hard work to secure,” said Ramos in a statement. “My resolve is clear and I invite you to join me. We can’t give up now. We are New Yorkers. We don’t shy from a fight. We don’t cower to a backyard bully. When New Yorkers fight for each other, we win. Chin up.”
Erin Vilardi, CEO and Founder of Vote Run Lead Action, agreed with the sentiment of not giving up. “For the second time, Donald Trump has won the presidency over a candidate who would have been the country’s first woman president. His win is not just about a single candidate or campaign — it is a stark reflection of the deep racism, misogyny, and sexism embedded in this country,” said Vilardi. “It is imperative that we respond to this moment with resilience and a renewed commitment to building women’s political power.”
Vilardi reminded voters that some significant milestones occurred this year: Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester, two Black women, will serve in the U.S. Senate concurrently for the first time in history; New Mexico is now the second state legislature to achieve a women’s majority (alongside Nevada); Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, won her race to join the U.S. House; Iowa City Councilmember Aime Wichtendahl will be Iowa’s first transgender lawmaker; and ballot measures to protect or expand abortion access passed in seven states, including New York, Maryland, Colorado, Missouri, Arizona, Nevada, and Montana.
Longtime Harlemite and former national president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, who is the current president of the organization’s New York State chapter, commented earlier this year during Women’s History Month that a woman as president of the U.S. is not inconceivable. She recalled being present to help nominate the late Congressmember Shirley Chisholm for president on the Democratic ticket in 1972.“There will be a breakthrough,” Dukes told the AmNews in that interview. “A woman will win the presidency, sooner or later.”
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