US Election: Kamala Harris Concedes To Trump But Vows 'Fight' As Republicans Regain Senate Control
US Election Results 2024: After being defeated by Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Kamala Harris urged unity in a concession speech at Howard University.
US Election Results 2024: Former US President Donald Trump cemented his return to the White House with a sweeping victory on Wednesday, as most Americans looked past his criminal charges and divisive rhetoric to embrace his poll promises on issues including immigration, the economy and the war in Ukraine. Trump is likely to enjoy plenty of support for his political agenda in US Congress as his Republican Party also managed to regain control of the Senate.
The Republican, who is likely to test the limits of presidential power, vowed he would "govern by a simple motto: Promises made, promises kept," in his victory speech. "We're going to keep our promises," he said but gave little detail of how he might achieve his motto.
Kamala Harris Concedes Defeat
Trump's Democrat rival and Vice President Kamala Harris publicly conceded the 2024 presidential election to the Republican as consoled the voters who had hoped she would become the first woman to win the White House. In a concession speech at her alma mater Howard University on Wednesday afternoon, Harris said she would engage in a peaceful transfer of power and thanked her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, President Joe Biden and running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
"To everyone who is watching, do not despair...This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves," she said.
Harris said she had called Trump to congratulate him but she was not prepared to embrace his vision for the country.
"While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign," she said, as some supporters in the crowd shed tears. "The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people."
Biden's Address Today
US President Joe Biden is set to address the nation on Thursday. He, however, called the President-elect to congratulate him on his victory. Projections from the Associated Press and other US media sources showed Trump winning the Electoral College on Wednesday, as the counting of votes in remaining key states continued.
Donald 'Trumps' Harris
Trump, 78, clinched Tuesday's election from 60-year-old Harris after a polarizing and dizzying campaign marked by two attempts on his life and Kamala Harris's late entry into the presidential race following President Joe Biden's surprise withdrawal. The Republican and his incoming vice president, US Senator JD Vance, are due to take office on Inauguration Day, January 20.
He promised roles in his administration to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a prominent Trump donor, and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The outcome defied polls that showed a razor-close race ahead of Tuesday's Election Day. Trump prevailed in at least five of the seven battleground states to push him over the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency and was leading in the remaining two, Arizona and Nevada, where votes were still being tallied.
Trump was also on track to become the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote since George W. Bush two decades ago. He was elected despite persistently low approval ratings, four criminal indictments and a civil judgment against him for sexual abuse and defamation.
First Convicted Felon President
In May, Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to a porn star. His political career appeared over after his false claims of election fraud led a mob of supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn his 2020 defeat, as per a report by Reuters.
The Republican leader's efforts to reverse his defeat led to two separate indictments, though all the criminal cases against him are expected to end after his victory. He beat Harris by capitalizing on voter concerns about high prices and what Trump claimed falsely was a rise in crime due to illegal immigration.
Factors That Guided Trump's Return To White House
As per a Reuters report, Trump's victory underscored Americans' disenchantment with the economy, border security and the direction of the country and its culture. Voters wanted a change, even if the agent of change was a convicted felon. His victory is projected to have some major implications for US trade and climate change policies, Americans' taxes and immigration, and US foreign policy, including in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Trump has said he wants the authority to fire civil servants he views as disloyal and has vowed to use federal law enforcement agencies to investigate or prosecute perceived enemies, including political rivals.
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