Harris speaks to Americans at Howard University in Washington, D.C. after conceding election
President-elect Donald Trump concluded a long and tumultuous 2024 presidential election campaign as the victor. Vice President Kamala Harris did not address party-goers last night at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C., following her loss.
Coverage for this event has ended.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared his remarks on X Wednesday following Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 presidential election.
Newsom expressed that a second Trump presidency is "not the outcome we wanted," but the "fight for freedom and opportunity endures."
".@KamalaHarris set out to fight to defend our fundamental freedoms and build a country that works for everyone. She stood up for working families, decency, and opportunity," Newsom wrote. "California will seek to work with the incoming president -- but let there be no mistake, we intend to stand with states across our nation to defend our Constitution and uphold the rule of law."
He continued: "Federalism is the cornerstone of our democracy. It’s the United STATES of America."
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to her alma mater Howard University after conceding while President-elect Donald Trump seemingly unified Americans bringing a tumultuous 2024 presidential election campaign to a close.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, says Dems remain committed to work with the GOP in the Senate after losing the majority.
Fox News' election coverage will continue here throughout Thursday.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower. ((AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson))
President-elect Donald Trump has made many comments trashing the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Ukraine and alluded to how he could end the war as early as inauguration day. Now, he’s in the hot seat and it seems he’s going to need to decide how to make due on that.
During an interview with host Maria Bartiromo on ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ in 2023, Trump said his relationships with Zelenskyy and Putin were the key.
"I know Zelenskyy very well, and I know Putin very well, even better. And I had a good relationship, very good with both of them. I would tell Zelenskyy, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don't make a deal, we're going to give him a lot. We're going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day," Trump said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, a former Trump National Security Council aide said, “Anyone—no matter how senior in Trump’s circle—who claims to have a different view or more detailed window into his plans on Ukraine simply doesn’t know what he or she is talking about or doesn’t understand that he makes his own calls on national-security issues, many times in the moment, particularly on an issue as central as this.”
The president-elect spoke to the Ukrainian leader as late as Wednesday and has agreed to maintain close dialogue and cooperation.
Pollster Frank Luntz explains to 'Fox News @ Night' how President-elect Trump exceeded polling projections and why Vice President Harris’s actions were a direct impact on this election.
“She never actually told voters exactly what she would do in the first hour, in the first day, in the first week, in the first month, and voters have the right to know. She had the responsibility to tell them,” said Luntz. “In the end, when she turned on him, Trump, started to call him all sorts of really horrific things. And, in the last week or 10 days, started calling him a fascist. Her negative started to go up, her popularity started to go down, and I think that that was a significant impact.”
“Don't forget, Republicans also gain seats in the Senate, and it looks like they're going to end up in control of the House,” said Luntz. “This was not just a Donald Trump victory last night. This was a Republican victory up and down the ticket and there's going to be some reckoning in Washington in the next weeks and months.”
President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump look on during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Former – and future – first lady Melania Trump said she and President-elect Donald Trump have been entrusted by the American people to "safeguard" freedom following the GOP nominee's landslide win in the 2024 presidential election.
In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Melania said the Trump administration will protect freedom, which she described as "the heart of our republic."
"I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty, economic prosperity, and security," she wrote in part. "American energy, skill, and initiative will bring together our best minds to propel our nation forward forevermore."
Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy took to X following his appearance on ‘Hannity’ tonight expressing his excitement at the election results and the promise of a more united front.
“We're more united than divided. Last night's results prove it. A new Republican Party is emerging, one that speaks to all Americans.”
Ramaswamy’s appearance shared an opinion that seems to be a common theme since the historic win for President-elect Donald Trump
“Sean, we get out of the echo chambers on the internet and just talk to people from Pennsylvania to Iowa to the West Coast of Nevada. We found that most Americans share the same common values. It was a beautiful thing to watch last night, and I think there was going to be a couple of good things to come out of it,” said Ramaswamy.
“Number one is, I think we're going to see a resurgence of national unity. Young people coming along in droves for Republicans. This is a new coalition. This is a new Republican party. This is a new country,” Ramaswamy said. “The other positive thing. As a result of that, I think we're going to see, Sean, is a Democratic Party that at least finds its way back to sanity.”
“The Democratic Party is going to have to let go of the crazies on the progressive left and find its North Star again or else the Democratic Party is dead and either way that's a good win for the country,” he said. “So we're still learning a lot from those election results, but the number one learning is there is a new coalition or united and there's unity to save this country and I'm excited that we're going to be a part of it.”
Former presidential candidate, former Arkansas governor governor Mike Huckabee, believes President-elect Donald Trump’s win was “authentic on his part” and the work of “a brilliant campaign.”
On the 'The Evening Edit’ Huckabee praised him saying he might as well be called “President Lazarus.”
“Yeah, this wasn't a comeback. It was a resurrection, and it was a powerful one. He might be called President Lazarus after this, but I'll tell you what he said last night that was so very important for people to take in…this was not just an election about Donald Trump, this is a real movement, a genuine movement and a complete realignment of the political class” said Huckabee.
Huckabee believes the American people have finally had their fill and Trump is their champion.
“We're just fed up with it and they're tired of Democrats and some of these Republicans who only care about their own globalist interests and they care about they're making money. And they didn't care that what they were doing and their policies were just strong jobs in this country,” said Huckabee.
“They were destroying their families and households and small communities and farms, and finally people had enough and Donald Trump was willing to carry the banner. He's done it brilliantly. He put together a coalition of people that most thought could never happen. He ran the tables. It's an overwhelming vote of support for a different kind of political. And I couldn't be happier,” he said.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott took to X Wednesday evening reinforcing his commitment to support President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda stating “We have been given a mandate by the American people to support President Trump’s agenda and Make Washington WORK again.
I’m running to be the next Senate Majority leader to do just that.
#LetsGetToWork.”
Scott appeared on Kudlow and announced he will be running to be and will win the next Senate majority leader.
“I'm going to run. Larry, I'm going to win, and here's why,” said Scott.
“I've been talking to my Republican colleagues. Guess what they want? Change? They know that Trump has a mandate. They want to be part of that mandate. They don't want to be treated as equals. They want to be part of a team. They want to have a working relationship with the House. They know I've got a great working relationship with Trump, with Speaker Mike Johnson.”
“They know I'm a businessman. Businessmen get things done. We create a plan, we work our mission, we measure things, we create teams. That's exactly what we want in the Senate, and that's why I'll be the next majority leader, and we're going to get Trump's agenda accomplished.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena on November 04, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. With one day left before the general election, Trump is campaigning for re-election in the battleground states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President-elect Trump will begin choosing members to serve in his second administration, Trump-Vance Transition Co-Chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
“Since the formation of President Trump’s transition organization and our announcement as Co-Chairs in August, we have been preparing for President Trump’s next administration," the statement said. "In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure."
“We are proud to volunteer our time to present President Trump with a wide array of experts from which he can select for his team,” they added.
The statement said voters gave Trump a mandate "that puts the working men and women of our nation first. As he chooses the best people to join his team and best policies to pursue, his transition team will ensure the implementation of President Trump’s common sense agenda starting on Day 1.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson shared his ambitions for the House of Representatives on the Ingraham Angle on Wednesday night after Republicans maintained their majority in Tuesday's elections. Johnson hopes to keep his seat as Speaker.
His appearance on the show underscored a letter he shared with colleagues and the general public on proposed GOP policy goals for Congress.
"We can secure our borders, prioritize the needs of Americans above foreigners, promote investment and opportunity through the tax code, return to American energy dominance, dramatically reduce regulations, expand school choice, end the woke agenda, and restore fiscal sanity to Washington—among other pressing items," read Speaker Johnson's letter.
"The American people have shown by their votes that they are ready to turn from the misery of the past four years and embark on a brighter, bolder path that is marked not by big government, bureaucratic control, poverty, inflation and wokeness—but by liberty, security, strength, prosperity and opportunity," concluded the letter.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, also a Louisianan, threw his hat in the ring to keep his position as well.
Governor Tim Walz, the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, took to the social media site X on Wednesday after Harris formally conceded, thanking her for the opportunity.
"Thank you Vice President @KamalaHarris for putting your faith in me, and selecting me as your running mate," wrote Walz. "Campaigning at your side was the honor and privilege of my life."
"While the outcome is not what we wanted, I am grateful to the millions of Americans who joined our campaign and stood up for our greatest ideals: decency, compassion, and love of our neighbor. Now more than ever, we need you to continue fighting for those values and the country we all love," his post concluded.
Walz' post currently has over 14,000 likes.
Ritchie Torres blamed progressive Democrats for President-elect Trump's win on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
A Democratic congressman from New York recently blamed progressives for President-elect Trump's victory this week, arguing that far-left causes actually disenchant certain voters.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., claimed that his party has "alienated historic numbers" of minority voters in an X (former Twitter) post on Wednesday. Torres, a vocal supporter of Israel, pointed fingers at pro-Palestinian protests as one of the causes – as well as the movement to defend police.
"Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party with absurdities like 'Defund the Police' or ‘From the River to the Sea’ or ‘Latinx,’ Torres wrote.
"There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world," the Democrat added. "The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling."
Torres' comments came in the aftermath of the initial 2024 election results, which found that Vice President Harris had less favorability among Latino and Hispanic voters than President Biden did in 2020.
According to a Fox News Voter Analysis, Biden garnered 63% of Latino support in 2020 while Harris only had 54% this year.
Another Fox News Voter Analysis found that support for Trump among Latino and Hispanic voters jumped from 35% in 2020 to 41% in 2024.
Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
Eugene Vindman delivers his victory speech at his Election Night party in Fredericksburg, Va., on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Vindman was running for Virginia's 7th Congressional district against Republican Derrick Anderson to fill Rep. Abigail Spanberger's seat in the House of Representatives.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Democrat and Ukrainian-born candidate Eugene Vindman is projected to win the VA-07 Congressional seat, according to the Associated Press.
Vindman, with 51.1% of the vote, narrowly edged out Republican Derrick Anderson who earned 48.9% of the vote with 98% reporting.
The seat was formerly held by Democrat Abigail Spanberger.
Vindman was a whistleblower in President-elect Trump's first impeachment trial after reporting on a call shared with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
President Joe Biden during a Jewish American Heritage Month reception in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Photographer: Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Biden will address the nation from the Rose Garden at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, the White House said.
The televised address will come days after Vice President Kamala Harris lost to President-elect Trump in Tuesday's election.
Harris conceded the election Wednesday. In a letter, her campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon called it “unfathomably painful.”
"This will take a long time to process. But the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now," she vowed.
Catholic voters across the country swung massively towards Donald Trump in the 2024 election, contributing to his surprise blowout victory on election night.Catholics were evenly split between President Joe Biden and Trump in 2020, with 50 percent favoring Trump to 49 percent favoring Biden.
According to exit polling collected by Fox News on election night, Catholics across the country swung nine percentage points in Trump’s favor, with the former and now-future president winning Catholics by 10 points.
Bill Donohue, president of the religious civil rights group the Catholic League, told Fox News Digital that Catholics resoundingly rejected Harris because of what he called a "clear animus against Catholics."
"She was rejected primarily because she is associated with the politics of extremism, and that is something the American people will never countenance," he said.
There are approximately 52 million Catholic adults in the U.S., making it the largest religious denomination in the country. Until now, political opinions among Catholic voters have been split between the two parties, leading many to believe that there is no such thing as a Catholic voting bloc.
But after Tuesday’s election results, Brian Burch, president of the conservative activism group CatholicVote, is saying that Catholic voters proved that theory wrong.
"There is an emerging electoral trend here that Republicans, if they are smart, will latch onto," he told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Former President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary released their official statement after fellow Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the race to President-elect Trump on Wednesday.
In the Clintons' remarks, they claimed “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ran a positive, forward looking campaign to be proud of.”
They also wished President-elect Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance well, saying they “hope they will govern for all of us.”
“We must remember that America is bigger than the results of any one election, and what we as citizens do now will make the difference between a nation that moves forward or one that falls back,” continued the statement.
Donald Trump beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 for the presidency.
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., talks after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Sept. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Wednesday said Senate Democrats remain committed to working with Republicans, a day after the GOP gained a majority in the congressional chamber.
“Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic candidacy inspired millions and her vision for a better future for all Americans will endure. Her advocacy on many issues — from lower costs, more affordable housing, and a fairer tax system— will continue to have strong impacts on America and on our party," Schumer said in a statement.
“As we await the final tallies in elections across the country, Senate Democrats remain committed to our values and to working with our Republican colleagues to deliver for the American people,” he added.
Schumer noted the only way to get things done in the Senate is through bipartisan legislation while maintaining its principles.
“The next two years will be no different,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris listens as President Joe Biden speaks about distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, in the East Room of the White House, May 17, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
President Biden said selecting Vice President Kamala Harris was one of his best decisions and represents the best of America.
In his first remarks after her election loss to President-elect Trump, Biden said Harris ran a “historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans.”
“As I’ve said before, selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made when I became the nominee for president in 2020. It was the best decision I made," he said. "Her story represents the best of America’s story. And as she made clear today, I have no doubt that she’ll continue writing that story.”
He added that Harris will continue to be a champion for all Americans and lead for generations as she “puts her stamp on America's future.”
Former US President Richard Nixon (1913 - 1994), his wife Pat (1912 - 1993) and daughter Tricia leaving a Manhattan restaurant during a visit to New York City, April 9th 1978. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
Former First Lady Pat Nixon predicted President-elect Trump would win the presidency if he ran, according to her husband and former commander-in-chief Richard Nixon.
The Nixon Foundation posted a short letter on X from the former president to Trump about his 1987 appearance on “The Phil Donahue Show” in which he talked about his business, politics and international affairs.
“Congratulations @realDonaldTrump. President and Mrs. Nixon sure had it right,” the foundation wrote.
In a letter to Trump dated Dec. 12, 1987, Nixon said his wife was impressed.
“Dear Donald, I did not see the program, but Mrs. Nixon told me that you were really great on the Donahue Show," Nixon wrote. "As you can imagine, she is an expert on politics and she predicts that whenever you decide to run for office you will be a winner!”
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the stage at a Turning Point Action campaign rally at the Gas South Arena on October 23, 2024 in Duluth, Georgia. Trump is campaigning across Georgia today as he and Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attempt to win over swing state voters. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. posted on X Wednesday sharing what President-elect Trump has requested of him in the upcoming administration.
The former Democrat has campaigned extensively to improve the health of the American people.
According to Kennedy, President-elect Trump has requested he prioritize three things while in-office: "1. Clean up the corruption in our government health agencies. 2. Return those agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science. 3. Make America Healthy Again by ending the chronic disease epidemic."
It is unclear what kind of appointment this would translate to for Kennedy in Trump's cabinet, but many have speculated that it could be an FDA position.
Karoline Leavitt, campaign press secretary for former U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives for his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 29, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan will give the jury their instructions before they begin deliberations today. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Jabin Botsford-Pool/Getty Images)
Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt thanked the president-elect for “going through hell in your selfless pursuit to Save America” following his election victory.
“Congratulations to my boss, the 45th and 47th President of the United States," Leavitt wrote on X. "It’s been the honor of a lifetime to speak on behalf of President Trump and this historic campaign.”
She recalled the feeling of “joy” when the race was officially called while backstage during an election night party.
“In that moment, all of the blood, sweat, and tears were instantly worth it,” she wrote. “Thank you President Trump for going through hell in your selfless pursuit to Save America.”
People vote for the 2024 US Presidential Election on the last day of early and absentee voting, at Anchorage City Hall in Anchorage, Alaska, United States on November 4, 2024. In this year's election, Alaskans not only voted for president, but also for the state's only legislative seat. (Photo by Hasan Akbas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Associated Press is projecting that President-elect Trump has won Alaska, taking three more electoral college votes.
Alaska is a ranked-choice voting state, meaning that voters can write in up to eight pre-approved candidates from the Alaska Division of Elections in the order of their preference.
Trump currently has 50.6% of the vote, to Vice President Harris's 40.4%, with 76% of precincts currently reporting.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stands with Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence and acknowledge the crowd on the third day of the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday congratulated former President-elect Trump for winning a second term in the White House.
“The American people have spoken and Karen and I send our sincere congratulations to President-Elect Donald Trump and his family on his election as 47th President of the United States,” Pence wrote on X, while also congratulating Trump's running mate, JD Vance.
“We extend our congratulations as well to the newly elected members of the Republican majorities in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives and look forward to their efforts to renew American security, prosperity and a respect for life," he added.
"We will continue to pray for all those in authority and urge every American to join us in praying for our incoming President, Vice President and elected officials at every level. God Bless America.”
Pence served as Trump's vice president during his first term. The pair had a falling out after Pence rebuffed Trump's attempts to have him overturn President Biden's 2020 president election.
Bill Ackman speaks at The 2024 Pershing Square Foundation Prize Dinner at the Park Avenue Armory at the Park Avenue Armory on June 17, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
In a post with nearly 125,000 likes, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman slammed the Democrat party and the mainstream media for their roles in the 2024 election.
"The Democratic Party proved itself to be fundamentally undemocratic. It needs a complete reboot," wrote Ackman. "The leadership should be thrown out and those responsible should apologize to the American people."
In the same post, Ackman praised how social media site X, bolstered by Elon Musk's drive for free speech on the platform, brought President-elect Trump to victory.
"Half the country has believed that @X is filled with mis- and disinformation, and that they could only therefore rely on The NY Times, MSNBC, CNN and other mainstream media for their news. And they did," wrote Ackman. "If, however, you have been active on @X for the last year, you have known the truth days, weeks and often months before the facts appear in the MSM."
According to Ackman, the mainstream media sought to portray President Biden to be "fit as a fiddle" while simultaneously defaming President-elect Trump. He credits new media like podcasts for offering a different picture of Donald Trump to the American people.
Ackman has 1.5 million followers on X.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared somber and teary-eyed while waiting to see defeated candidate Vice President Harris make a concession speech on Wednesday.
Arriving at Howard University on Wednesday afternoon, Pelosi was photographed greeting Harris supporters while appearing tearful.
In a particularly emotional picture, Pelosi pouted as if just about to weep, and had watery eyes. Other pictures showed Pelosi smiling at the event and mingling with attendees.
Harris' concession speech comes after a historic neck-and-neck presidential race ended with a Trump victory early Wednesday morning. While the election was expected to be a toss-up, the scope of Trump's victory shocked both sides of the political aisle.
Pelosi and Trump have a great deal of enmity towards each other, regularly insulting each other in public. During a speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this week, Trump described Pelosi as something that "starts with a B."
"She's an evil, sick, crazy…," the Republican candidate said, stopping short. "It starts with a B, but I won't say it. I wanna say it."
Pelosi has returned the jabs back to Trump in the past, and recently claimed that he was suffering from "cognitive degeneration" during a recent appearance on MSNBC.
Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
Former US President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally with Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in support of Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at Alliant Center in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 22, 2024. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Former President Barack Obama congratulated Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who both "ran a remarkable campaign," in a Wednesday statement.
“This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues,” Obama said in a joint statement with his wife, Michelle Obama. “But living in a democracy is about recognizing that one point of view won't always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power.”
Issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and economic struggles for voters created "headwinds for Democratic incumbents in recent years," Obama said.
“And last night showed that America is not immune,” he said.
“In a country as big as ours, we won't always see eye-to-eye on everything,” he added. “But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace – even to people with whom we deeply disagree.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Howard University in Washington, DC, on November 6, 2024. Donald Trump won a sweeping victory Wednesday in the US presidential election, defeating Kamala Harris to complete an astonishing political comeback that sent shock waves around the world. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech to the American people at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon. Her address came hours after calling President-elect Donald Trump to concede earlier today.
The delayed timing echoes former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's concession in 2016, who also waited until the next day to deliver her concession.
Harris walked out to the podium wearing a black pantsuit, with the crowd cheering as Beyonce's "Freedom" played in the background.
"My heart is full today, full of gratitude," opened Harris.Harris thanked President Biden, her family, and the Walz family before thanking her supporters and volunteers. "I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it."
"Now I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now, I get it. But we must accept the results of this election." Harris then mentioned calling President-elect Trump to concede the race, and the crowd audibly booed.
Harris also said that she will accept the results of the election and will certify the results on January 6, but added loyalty must be to the Constitution first and foremost.
"While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign: the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness, for the dignity of all people."
Harris reiterated her positions on guns and abortion, as part of the fight she will continue to uphold: "We will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courtroom, in the public square."
Harris also comforted her younger supporters, saying "to the young people who are watching, it is okay to feel sad and disappointed. But please know it's going to be okay."
"This is not a time to throw up our hands, but to roll up our sleeves," Harris added.
Vice President Kamala Harris' abiding silence following President-elect Trump's victory suggests an inability to step up as a leader for her base, legal scholars say.
The Democratic nominee has not yet spoken to her supporters, nor encouraged them to accept the election results, since Trump was named the victor of the 2024 presidential race early Wednesday morning. Two sources confirmed to Fox that the Harris campaign was radio silent Wednesday morning and did not provide talking points to surrogates, donors or influencers.
The vice president is expected to deliver remarks at Howard University at 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday, where she will address Americans for the first time since losing the presidential race to Trump. However, analysts say she should not have waited until the afternoon after the election to address her base.
Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar and a Fox News contributor, said Trump's clear path to victory should have prompted her to concede sooner.
"The true test of leadership is to step forward when it is most needed. Half of this population is deeply aggrieved by this decision. Part of that angst and anxiety was fueled by the rage rhetoric and panic politics on the left, including the Harris campaign," Turley told Fox News Digital.
The Fox News Decision Desk projects that Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin will defeat former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, to succeed longtime Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Slotkin's challenger, Republican Mike Rogers, served as a Representative in Michigan's 8th Congressional district from 2001 through 2015.
Slotkin is projected to win with 99% of the vote reported with a narrow margin of 48.6% over Rogers' 48.3%.
She is a former CIA Middle East analyst and current Representative for Michigan's 7th Congressional district.
At least three Senate seats have been flipped thus far for the GOP in the 2024 elections.
Vice President Kamala Harris standing up her devastated Democratic supporters last night is drawing attention to a similar choice by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in November 2016.
Both Democrats would have become the country's first female president if they beat Trump.
In 2016, when the race was called for Trump, Clinton did not address her supporters until the following morning. Harris will speak to supporters Wednesday evening.
At the time, some critics blasted Clinton for not giving a consolation speech that same night at the Javits Center in New York. Clinton instead allowed her campaign manager, John Podesta, to briefly speak to supporters.
On the following day, Clinton urged her supporters to "accept this result, and then look to the future."
"Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," she said.
Likewise, on Tuesday night, Harris supporters trickled out of the watch party at Howard University once they learned from a Harris spokesperson she would not be addressing the crowd. Users on social media quickly took note and critiqued the VP for not showing face after supporters waited hours for her to come out.
Harris-Walz campaign manager David Plouffe took to social media to thank staff and lament Vice President Kamala Harris' "devastating loss."
"It was a privilege to spend the last 100 days with @KamalaHarris and the amazing staff led by @jomalleydillon who left it all on the field for their country," Plouffe wrote on X. "We dug out of a deep hole but not enough. A devastating loss. Thanks for being in the arena, all of you."
In the wake of former President Donald Trump's historic win projected by the Fox News Decision Desk, several winners and losers of the 2024 election have become clear.
Here are those who came out on top on Election Day and those who didn't quite meet expectations.
Winners
Trump
Trump defied all expectations, even some of the more conservative-leaning estimates of the 2024 election.
By notable margins, Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in several key battleground states, being projected by the Fox News Decision Desk to win the election by amassing the necessary 270 electoral votes before a number of other top swing states had been called.
Republicans
Trump's top of the ticket projected victory was followed by significant victories for Republicans across the board.
Senate Republicans were projected by the Fox News Decision Desk to retake the majority in the Senate in 2025, racking up wins in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana, which were previously blue.
There are still multiple outstanding Senate races in swing states, giving the party hope for an even larger majority.
Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes is projected to survive her closely watched re-election bid by defeating her GOP challenger.
The Associated Press called the race for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District for Sykes over former Ohio state Sen. Kevin Coughlin on Wednesday just before 3 p.m. ET.
Sykes, a first-term Democrat who won in 2022 by five points, was defending her seat in a district that includes parts of two counties that former President Trump comfortably won in 2020.
"This is as 50/50 of a district as it comes," Sykes said. "It has been rated as such all across the country and there are all eyes on Ohio’s 13th Congressional District."
Sykes comes from a well-established political family in Akron. Both her parents served as state lawmakers and her father, Vernon Sykes, currently serves as a state senator in Ohio.
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Rep. Normal Torres, is projected to win reelection the U.S. House, according to a call by the Associated Press.
Torres defeated Republican challenger Mike Cargile in the race for California's 35th Congressional District.
Torres has served in Congress since 2015 and previously served in the California State House an Assembly from 2008-2014.
The call comes as the balance of power in the House of Representatives is still up for grabs, with the Fox News Decision Desk projecting that Republicans currently have a lead in the race to maintain their majority, though the Decision Desk has yet to call the race for the GOP.
The Justice Department is looking to wind down two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump as he prepares to be sworn in to a second term in the White House— a decision that upholds longstanding policy that prevents Justice Department attorneys from prosecuting a sitting president.
In making this argument, Justice Department officials cited a memo from the Office of Legal Counsel filed in 2000, which upholds a Watergate-era argument that asserts it is a violation of the separation of powers doctrine for the Justice Department to investigate a sitting president. It further notes that such proceedings would "unduly interfere in a direct or formal sense with the conduct of the Presidency."
"In light of the effect that an indictment would have on the operations of the executive branch, ‘an impeachment proceeding is the only appropriate way to deal with a President while in office,’" the memo said in conclusion.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr also backed this contention Wednesday in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that after Trump takes office in January, prosecutors will be unable to continue the cases during his term.
President Biden spoke by phone with Vice President Harris. He congratulated the Vice President on her historic campaign.
President Biden also spoke by phone with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory.
President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together. He also invited President-elect Trump to meet with him in the White House. The staff will coordinate a specific date in the near future.
Tomorrow, President Biden will address the nation to discuss the election results and the transition.
-- Fox News' Peter Doocy
Ahead of Harris' concession speech, Harris and Trump spoke on the phone earlier today, former President Trump's campaign confirmed.
“President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory," Steven Cheung, Trump Campaign Communications Director said in a statement to Fox News.
"President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country," Cheung said.
Democrats are growing increasingly concerned that they will narrowly lose the House of Representatives after Republican victories in the Senate and White House.
The balance of power in the House is expected to run razor-thin no matter who wins, but sources who spoke with Fox News Digital are worried that the Democrats' path is narrowing."We're almost certainly going to lose the House by a narrow margin," a senior House Democratic aide told Fox News Digital. "We got our a--es kicked."
The House aide found optimism, however, in Republicans' comparatively decisive victories in the upper chamber and presidential race.
"If you told me [President-elect Trump] won the popular vote, dominated the electoral college, and they could end up with 56 seats in the Senate, this House map is really not too bad," they said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his election victory but vowed the state would also be ready to fight against his administration.
"If possible, we will work with his administration. But we will not compromise our values or our integrity or our principles. We did not expect this result, but we are prepared to respond to this result," James said. as a press conference on Wednesday. "And my office has been preparing for several months because we've been here before. We faced this challenge before, and we use the rule of law to fight back. And we are prepared to fight back once again because as the Attorney general of this great state is my job to protect and defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law. And I will not shrink from that responsibility."
The Fox News Decision Desk projects that Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., managed to survive a tough re-election battle, defeating her Republican opponent in the swing state. She overcame challenger Eric Hovde, a Republican businessman who sought to unseat her. He was notably endorsed by former President Trump. Baldwin will now serve a third term in the upper chamber after first being elected in 2012.
The race in Wisconsin was considered particularly competitive given the expectation that the state would also be decisive in the presidential election. With the steep decline in split-ticket voting, a Senate candidate would have a much greater chance at winning if the presidential candidate also took the state.
The Fox News Power Rankings rated Wisconsin as a toss up in the presidential election as of mid-October. In late September, the Senate race was rated "Leans Democrat."
Top political handicapper, the Cook Political Report, had similarly long held that the Wisconsin Senate race was in the "Lean Democrat" category, but last month shifted its rating to a "Toss up," citing a closing polling gap between the candidates.
A smiling Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., congratulated both President-elect Trump for his projected win and his fellow Senate Republicans for being projected to retake the majority in the new Congress.
He told reporters on Wednesday, it is "certainly a happy day for the GOP."
McConnell addressed the significance of the projected Trump win, remarking, "What he's accomplished has not been done, as all of you know, since Grover Cleveland, which was a while back."
Former President Grover Cleveland was notably the only president to serve non-consecutive terms.
"I also want to commend the Trump campaign for running a sharper operation this time," he added.
Harris campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon sent a letter to all campaign staff on Wednesday, Fox News Digital has learned. The email stated:
"Just a few moments ago, the Vice President connected with President Trump to concede the race. In the call, she told him that she would work with President Biden to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, unlike what we saw in 2020. She also made clear that she hopes he will be a President for all Americans.
I don’t have words to express the gratitude I have for everyone getting this email. You left everything on the field. You built a first-rate, historic Presidential campaign in basically 90 days. You navigated things that no one has ever had to navigate, and likely no one will ever have to again.
You stared down unprecedented headwinds and obstacles that were largely out of our control. We knew this would be a margin of error race, and it was. And, your work mattered: the whole country moved to the right, but compared to the rest of the country, the battleground states saw the least amount of movement in his direction. It was closest in the places we competed. That speaks to both the work you did, and the scale of the challenge we ultimately couldn’t surmount.The Vice President will speak to the nation later today at Howard University.
Immediately following the Vice President’s speech, she and Governor Walz will host an all staff call to speak directly to you about what we accomplished in this short run and the road ahead for all of us.
We hope you’ll join us and we’ll have a calendar invite shortly. I’ll leave you with this: losing is unfathomably painful. It is hard. This will take a long time to process. But the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now.
I know the Vice President isn’t finished in this fight, and I know the very people on this email are also going to be leaders in this collective mission. View this as the beginning, not the end. It will be hard work. But as the boss says: hard work is good work. And I look forward to standing beside you."
A senior aide for Kamala Harris tells Fox News that the vice president has called President-Elect Trump Wednesday to congratulate him on winning the 2024 race.
During the call, Harris discussed the importance of peaceful transfer of power and serving as a president who represents all Americans, the aide said.
Harris is expected to make public comments later this afternoon during a speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
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