Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech to students in Maryland on Tuesday, urging them not to be discouraged by her election defeat and to remain committed to fighting for their ideals.
“Over the past several weeks, since the election, I have received tens of thousands of letters from people across our nation,” Harris said as she began her remarks.
“These letters share a common theme: Yes, there is disappointment, but there is also resolve for the future.”
Speaking at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland, the vice president sought to deliver an optimistic message about the future.
“I ask you to remember that this struggle is not new. It goes back nearly 250 years, to Lexington and Concord,” Harris said.
Next year will mark the 250th anniversary of the battles of Concord and Lexington, which marked the beginning of the American Revolution.
“The true test of our commitment is whether in the face of an obstacle, do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves?” she said.
“Many people have come up to me telling me they feel tired, maybe even resigned,” she said. “Let me be very clear: No one can walk away. No one can walk away. We must stay in the fight, every one of us.”
Following the election loss in November, the battle for the Democratic party’s leadership and the 2028 presidential race has intensified in recent weeks.
It is unclear what direction Harris will take after she and President Joe Biden leave office on Jan. 20, 2025.
“Get some rest over the holidays,” Harris said before ending her speech to students in Maryland.
“I challenge you to come back ready, ready to chart our path to the future. Chin up, shoulders back.”
In recent days, both Biden and Harris have sought to convey upbeat messages to encourage Democrats to focus on the future.
Speaking at the Democratic National Committee’s holiday party on Dec. 15, the president urged Democrats to quickly recover from the election loss.
“We all get knocked down,” Biden said. “The measure of a person or a party is how fast they get back up.”
Speaking at the same event, Harris also said despite the election loss, the party’s spirit remains strong.
“Our spirit is not defeated. We are not defeated,” Harris said. “Let’s be clear about that. We are strong.”
The White House in a recent memo outlined the president’s key priorities before leaving office on Jan. 20.
According to the memo, the president wants to expand clemency, provide more student debt relief, and disburse remaining funds from his signature legislation during his final weeks in office. On Dec. 16, the president delivered a speech highlighting his pro-worker and pro-union policies.
