
On election night, Kamala Harris’ historic defeat to President-elect Donald Trump ended quietly, with no concession speech from the vice president. While Trump celebrated his victory with supporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, Harris’ campaign remained silent. At her watch party at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the mood grew somber as results showed Trump winning in critical states.
As the night wore on, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon sent an email to staffers advising them to “get some sleep” and “close out strong tomorrow.” Dillon’s message focused on high early voter turnout in some areas, like Philadelphia and Bucks County, and highlighted the votes still uncounted in Detroit and Milwaukee. Yet, it became clear that the campaign was losing its hold on the electoral map.
Where is Kamala? What about the peaceful transfer of power? What about the classic phone call of concession? Where are all the American norms? They tried everything to destroy him but the American people said enough. So grateful!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸— Marsha Peyton (@Peyton3Peyton) November 6, 2024
CNN reported that Harris’ watch party was marked by silence, with staffers “searching for bright spots” as key results came in. Nate Cohn from the New York Times noted that Harris was underperforming compared to Joe Biden’s numbers in major cities. This underperformance, coupled with strong Republican turnout, made the loss all the more devastating.
Has classless Kamala given a concession yet?
— RWW (@Rwwimm) November 6, 2024
Despite the mounting evidence of defeat, Harris did not address her supporters or issue a formal concession. In contrast, Trump’s event was marked by celebration, with Vice President-elect JD Vance calling the win “the greatest political comeback” in U.S. history. The silence from Harris’ campaign reflected the gravity of her loss to Trump.
@KamalaHarris account silent for 13 hours now. Where’s the concession speech, Kamala??
— Defeat the commie Democrats – Stu Cvrk (@STUinSD) November 6, 2024
Harris’ historic loss will be remembered as a moment of change in American politics, a rare rejection of a sitting vice president by the voters. The outcome underscores a shift in public sentiment, with voters demanding new leadership as Republicans regained control in both the White House and Senate.