Following Donald Trump’s victory in the just-concluded 2024 US presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris reassured the American people of a peaceful transfer of power. “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” Harris stated.
“This principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.”
In her statement, Kamala Harris appeared to have addressed these past events, emphasizing the need for leaders to respect democratic outcomes.
Her remarks were widely interpreted as reassurance to the American people that the current administration intends to honour the will of the voters, regardless of personal or party interests.
Months before the election, Trump said that he would only accept the election results if he won, similar to how he behaved during the 2020 election.
Trump Secures Clear Victory, Marking Shift from 2020
Trump’s win, with 295 electoral votes to Harris’s 226, contrasts sharply with his 2020 loss, where he trailed Joe Biden by over 7 million popular votes and 306 to 232 in the Electoral College.
According to Associated Press (AP), In the 2024 election, Trump received 72,646,926 votes (50.9%) to Harris’s 67,961,051 votes (47.6%).
After his defeat in 2020, He tweeted “STOP THE COUNT” and other violent tweets, resulting in his twitter account being banned. Trump repeatedly questioned the outcome, filing numerous legal challenges and making unsubstantiated claims of fraud. His refusal to accept the loss culminated in an effort to block Congress from certifying Biden’s win, ultimately leading to the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
The Tradition of Concession and Congratulations in U.S. Presidential Elections
It is generally the tradition for the candidate who loses a U.S. presidential election to congratulate the winner, as a sign of respect for the democratic process and to ensure a peaceful transition of power. While this has been a longstanding custom, it is not a formal requirement.
Historically, even in contentious elections, losing candidates have conceded graciously, acknowledging the will of the people. However, there have been instances where the concession did not happen immediately or was withheld, like in the case of the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, which was prolonged by legal challenges, or Donald Trump in 2020, who delayed conceding and made unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.
As the country transitions into a new administration, Harris’s message underscores the importance of honoring the democratic process-no matter the election outcome. A core principle that Trump lacks.
