Kamala Harris certifies her loss to Donald Trump

Upon entering the Senate chamber on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris issued a simple declaration when NBC News asked her about presiding over the certification of the 2024 election: “Democracy prevails.” 

Minutes later, Harris carried through, steering Congress’ collective endorsement of the electoral vote that she lost and affirming Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

Hands clasped before her, Harris looked ahead plainly and intently as four senators took turns reading off the electoral totals from each state.

She broke into a wide smile both when the vote total reached a threshold to declare Trump the next president and when she got a standing ovation from her party when her vote total was read.

Harris’ message of this Jan. 6 was one that both she and her predecessor on the campaign trail, President Joe Biden, conveyed time and again to voters. They advocated for “freedom” and democracy and shunned the events of the violent riot by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, which led to an unprecedented attack on the nation’s Capitol.

Missing on this day compared to four years earlier were gallows and a noose constructed outside the Capitol grounds. Or chants in support of hanging the vice president for failing to reject the will of the people and the true outcome of the election. Instead, the event transpired in the way it was meant to unfold, pro forma, taking only 30 minutes.

Ultimately, the American electorate rejected Harris, ushering in Trump and his vows to blow up the status quo. Trump claimed 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, won the popular vote and swept across battleground states, including toppling Democrats’ so-called blue wall of states typically necessary for their party’s victory.

Unlike Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 vote, Harris conceded her loss and tried to offer her supporters comforting words a day after the election.

“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say … the light of America’s promise will always burn bright,” she said.