As Donald Trump inches closer to taking back the White House, the silence from Kamala Harris’ camp raises questions. As momentum shifted in Trump’s favor, Harris’ campaign opted to remain radio silent on election night, with campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond addressing an anxious crowd gathered at Howard University in Washington, D.C. delivered a speech without the Vice President himself attending.
“We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue to fight through the night to make sure every vote is counted and every voice is spoken,” Richmond assured the crowd, and Adding, “You won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow. She will come back to Howard to address not only her supporters but the nation.”
The event, originally full of optimism, gradually lost its celebratory tone as Trump carried key battleground states and Harris’ path to victory narrowed significantly. Trump’s victories in Georgia and North Carolina, two closely contested states, have further complicated the Democratic landscape, leaving Harris to rely on a narrower “blue wall” strategy in the Midwest. According to the Associated Press, campaign chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a memo to staff that Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin now represent the “clearest path” for Harris to win the White House.
As the early hours wore on Wednesday and Trump prepared to address supporters in Florida, his team seemed buoyed by the night’s results. Meanwhile, Harris supporters who had gathered at Howard University began filing out, visibly disappointed that the vice president would not be speaking.
Aides at Harris’ headquarters were reportedly tense and quiet throughout the evening, with little communication taking place as the results trickled in. The campaign is grappling with the narrowing of the ballot.
Trump continues to solidify his base in traditional Republican strongholds such as Texas, South Carolina and Indiana, while Harris captures Democratic-leaning states including Virginia and California.
