By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former President Donald Trump is once again, officially the President-elect of the United States.
Vice President Kamala Harris called the President-elect Wednesday to concede the race before heading to her alma mater, Howard University. At Howard, a historically black university, Harris spoke to several hundred supporters, volunteers and campaign workers to thank them for their hard work while also trying to provide hope for the future. Harris was originally scheduled to speak to the supporters at her alma mater on election night.
On Tuesday afternoon, officials with the Harris campaign stressed the importance of needing to win all “blue wall” states: Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. By late Tuesday night, into early Wednesday morning, it became clear the path to 270 electoral votes was out of reach for the Vice President. Hundreds of supporters left the rally late Tuesday and early Weds. disappointed, questioning the strong performance by former President Donald Trump, especially in key battleground states.
Trump held a victory speech in West Palm Beach, FL after 2 o’clock Wednesday morning. The race was officially called by multiple outlets around 7 o’clock Wednesday morning after a win in Wisconsin boosted the President-elect above the 270 electoral vote threshold.
Harris supporters who returned to Howard University to hear her speak Wednesday were disappointed with the results.
“I’m sad, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I woke up very angry. I also woke up, you know, feeling very misplaced with my feelings. I shed a tear for America, I shed a tear for democracy,” said Kristal Knight, a Howard University alumna who says she is working to come to terms with the results. “While I don’t understand how we got here, I also have to understand that Donald Trump will be my president and that I have to live under his presidency.”
Knight, like many other supporters Weds., emphasized the importance of turning sadness and anger into energy and mobilization. They say it’s time to continue fighting and organizing starting today to unite the country around policies and issues that impact them most.
“We have to continue fighting. It’s morning in America. It’s a new day. And it may not be the reality that we hoped for, but we have to organize beginning today,” said Knight.
Looking back at the short, but historic campaign, Knight says she is extremely proud of her fellow Howard University alumna.
“This is a historic campaign. She is a black woman, an HBCU alum, and the first of her kind to ever have the audacity to run,” said Knight. “She had the audacity and courage to get out here, in three months and run in an imaginable campaign and get this close and not get completely wiped out, but losing by marginal numbers in some of the most critical battleground states in this country. And who else but her to try,” she added.
As Harris supporters and Democrats around the country ask “how” the race was won comfortably by the former president, many are also reflecting, heading back to the drawing board to reassess their gameplan for the 2026 midterms. Republicans flipped the Senate on Tuesday. If they maintain their House majority, they’ll have the trifecta or green light for advancing their agenda and policies without pushback.
Today, President Joe Biden called Vice President Harris to congratulate her on a historic campaign. The President also spoke by phone with the president-elect to congratulate him on his victory and also invited Trump to meet with him at the White House to discuss the transition. Tomorrow, President Biden will address the nation to discuss the election results and the transition.
