Howard University’s wake party ends without a speech from Kamala Harris amid a tense election night

There was anticipation at Howard University in Washington, DC on Tuesday evening as thousands gathered at The Yard to celebrate what many hoped would be a historic victory for Vice President Kamala Harris. Supporters of the Harris-Walz campaign, drawn to their alma mater, arrived early expecting a night of joy and the opportunity to witness an important milestone in American history. However, as the election results were announced, a sense of unrest spread through the crowd, and by midnight the celebratory atmosphere of the Watch Party had turned into quiet concern.

For many, the evening began with high spirits. Music blared from speakers, fans danced and cheered, and an overwhelming feeling of unity and optimism filled the campus. Supporters gathered to celebrate what they hope is a defining moment in American politics – the election of the first Black woman and the first woman of South Asian descent as president. But as results from key battleground states suggested the race would be closer than expected, tension rose in the crowd and celebratory smiles turned to expressions of concern.

The turning point came when Harris-Walz campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond took the stage to address the crowd at 12:42 a.m. Richmond told his supporters that Harris would not be speaking that evening. He thanked the participants for their unwavering support and acknowledged the passion and commitment they brought to the evening. Richmond also assured them that the campaign’s priority is to ensure every vote is counted, emphasizing that every vote matters in this hard-fought election.

“Thank you for believing in the promise of America,” Richmond said. “We still have to count votes. We still have states that haven’t been called yet. We will continue to fight overnight to ensure every vote is counted [and] that every voice has spoken. So you won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow.” He said she would address the HU family, its supporters and the nation from the university on Wednesday.

There were already early signs of uncertainty early in the evening, as the campaign’s forecasts for Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin – the trio of “blue wall” states that proved crucial in recent elections – did not immediately show the expected clues . The Harris-Walz campaign had been hopeful, initially recording significant turnout among nonwhite and student populations in Philadelphia, Detroit, and key Wisconsin counties such as Dane and Milwaukee. However, reports of unexpectedly close races in these areas sparked concern among both the campaign team and the audience, as the race appeared to be closer than hoped.

In an email to campaign staff sent around 11 p.m. Eastern time, Harris’ campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon confirmed that the race is close and described it as “razor-thin.” She noted that the campaign had prepared for a challenging night and that the path to victory would depend on patient monitoring of late returns in contested states. O’Malley Dillon acknowledged turnout was up in several Democratic strongholds but urged patience as counting delays in Philadelphia and Detroit meant results would not be final for several hours. She compared the situation to the 2020 election, reminding staff that “it takes time for all votes to be counted — and for all votes to be counted.”