Vice President Kamala Harris ended election night without addressing the already dwindling crowd at her watch party at Howard University, which turned from vibrant to somber over the course of six hours.
“Thank you for believing in the promise of America,” campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told the crowd just after 12 a.m. on Wednesday. “We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue overnight to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken.” Before Richmond stepped behind the seal, “Kamala” chants had broken out from supporters thinking they would see the Democratic nominee.
Richmond’s purpose was to dismiss the once packed crowd — though they had already begun to dismiss themselves. “You won’t hear from the vice president tonight,” he added, promising that she would address her supporters at her alma mater later on Wednesday.