Where is Kamala Harris? Disappointed supporters leave election night watch party after VP cancels speech

WASHINGTON, DC: It was supposed to be a big night at Howard University in DC, with Vice President Kamala Harris’ supporters gathering to cheer her on as she crossed her fingers for a historic win.

But things took a disappointing turn as the election results rolled in. The crowd at Harris’ alma mater started off full of hope, but that energy faded fast as the night wore on.

Kamala Harris' watch party goes silent

The evening began with high spirits. A DJ blasted music, filling the room with energy as everyone watched CNN’s coverage of the election results on a massive screen. But things quieted down fast when former president Donald Trump snagged North Carolina, the first swing state of the night.

Harris was trailing, with 214 electoral votes to Trump’s 248. Supporters, who had come in ready to celebrate suddenly, found themselves glued to the screen, watching Trump’s lead grow.

And then came the announcement that really hit hard -- Cedric Richmond, Harris’s campaign co-chair, took the stage to let everyone know she wouldn’t be making a speech that night.

That was enough for some people, who quietly started heading for the doors, leaving the watch party early. Others stayed clinging to some hope, but the vibe had clearly shifted from that of excitement to worry.

Whenever CNN showed Harris picking up a state—Washington, Hawaii, Virginia—the volume on the screens would come on and the room would briefly burst into cheers. But then, as the DJ started back up, reality would settle back in.

At one point, John King came on-screen to explain just how narrow Harris’ path to victory was getting. Some supporters even hugged each other as the numbers continued to favor Trump, realizing they might be watching their dreams of a Harris presidency slip away.

This wasn’t just happening at Howard; it sort of mirrored in Democratic gatherings across the US and even in London at a ‘Democrats Abroad’ event. Betting markets and the New York Times election tracker had started leaning heavily toward Trump — and Harris’ supporters everywhere were feeling the weight of it.

Holding out for the final count in key states

Kamala Harris’ campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon kept pushing that there was still a path to victory, thanks to what they called the “blue wall”—Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. But as the clock crept toward midnight, North Carolina fell into Trump’s column — a state President Joe Biden had barely lost to Trump in 2020.

And with that, some supporters at Howard decided it was time to call it a night, slipping out quietly as news spread that Georgia was also likely to go red.

In a memo obtained by the Daily Mail, O’Malley Dillon tried to keep spirits up. "What we do know is this race is not going to come into focus until the early morning hours," she wrote. "This is what we’ve been built for, so let’s finish up what we have in front of us tonight, get some sleep, and get ready to close out strong tomorrow."

The Harris campaign wasn’t giving up just yet, reminding everyone that big votes were still outstanding. In Pennsylvania, Harris’s team reported better-than-expected turnout in Philadelphia and in Bucks County’s early votes.

In Michigan, Detroit’s results—a solidly blue area—hadn’t fully come in yet. Wisconsin was still counting votes in Dane and Milwaukee counties, and the final tally wasn’t expected until around 3-5 am. Meanwhile, Arizona and Nevada were also being eyed as potential lifelines for the Democrats.

And as O'Malley Dillon said in her last update, this wasn’t going to be a quick call. “We’ve been saying for weeks that this race might not be called tonight,” she reminded everyone. “Those of you who were around in 2020 know this well: It takes time for all the votes to be counted—and all the votes will be counted. That’s how our system works.” 

Kamala Harris and her supporters trolled on social media

Critics of Kamala Harris slammed her on social media after it emerged she wouldn't be addressing her supporters that night.

"The crowd’s walking out, but Trump’s got America walking in the right direction! one social media user wrote.

"This is a terrible decision on her part. Winning or losing, she should be there with her supporters," another said.

"She is doing the same thing Hillary did. She is likely too drunk to speak," one person commented.

"Bad loser attitude. she could have at least made a speech for those who supported her," another remarked.

"She couldn’t be bothered to show some class and give these people a few minutes of her time. That’s what they voted for," one individual noted.

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