(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris promised a peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump in a concession speech to her supporters on Wednesday.
She also urged supporters to keep fighting for the ideals of her campaign at the ballot box, in the courts and in the public square.
Harris said she was proud of her campaign and thanked her supporters while also noting that accepting election results is a critical part of democracy.
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“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose the election we accept the result,” she said. “That principle more than any other distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny.”
The vice president also issued a reminder that Americans owe loyalty not to an individual president or political party but to the Constitution of the United States.
Harris raised themes that she had centered in her campaign, promoting a fight for an America based on optimism, opportunity and hope. She also issued a specific message to young voters who may feel emotional after the election.
“On the campaign I would often say, when we fight, we win,” Harris said. “But here’s the thing, sometimes the fight takes a while. But that doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
In a letter by NewsNation, Harris campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon told staff, “We knew this would be a margin of error race, and it was.”
“This will take a long time to process. But the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now,” the letter read.
Trump Campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the call to NewsNation, saying Harris “congratulated (Trump) on his historic victory.”
“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.”
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President Joe Biden called Harris on Wednesday to congratulate her on a “historic” campaign. He said he would address the nation about the election and the transition of power Thursday.
“President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call,” Cheung said.
Speaking to supporters at around 1:30 a.m. CT Wednesday, Trump said, “This was a movement like nobody’s ever seen before.
“Frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time,” Trump said. “There’s never been anything like this in this country and maybe beyond, and now it’s going to reach a new level of importance because we’re going to help our country heal.”
Trump’s running mate and now Vice President-elect JD Vance, who also spoke, called the former president’s win the greatest political comeback “in the history of the United States of America.”
“He turned out to be a good choice,” Trump said of Vance.
NewsNation’s Jeff Arnold contributed to this report.