Election 2024: Biden to address nation, Trump prepares for 2nd term

Gov. Tim Walz released a statement about the election results on Wednesday night following Vice President Kamala Harris' concession speech.

He said in a post on X that the outcome was "not what we wanted" and thanked Harris for selecting him as her running mate, in a post on X.

"Campaigning at your side was the honor and privilege of my life," Walz said.

"I am grateful to the millions of Americans who joined our campaign and stood up for our greatest ideals: decency, compassion, and love of our neighbor," Walz continued.

"Now more than ever, we need you to continue fighting for those values and the country we all love," the governor said.

Following the results of the presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump's transition team operation has begun for his second White House term.

"In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure," Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, co-chairs of the Trump-Vance transition team said in a statement.

"As he chooses the best people to join his team and best policies to pursue, his transition team will ensure the implementation of President Trump's common sense agenda starting on Day 1," the co-chairs said.

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement on Wednesday that the city "will actively support the incoming Trump Administration's transition process and the 60th Presidential Inauguration of President-elect Trump."

Bowser's office has been working since September to prepare for Jan. 6., the day of the Electoral College vote certification, and Inauguration Day.

Her team had plans in place for either a Trump or Harris victory.

Republicans, despite their opposition to D.C. statehood, have worked with Bowser on several local initiatives including the RFK Stadium renovation. She has in recent years forged a working relationship with Republicans, particularly congressmen Jim Jordan and James Comer, as well as other lawmakers frustrated with crime in the city.

In the end, most voters did want to go back.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats pounded away at a message of turning the page on former President Donald Trump and his brand of politics, promoting former aides who questioned his commitment to democracy and producing their own plans to combat things like price gouging and high home costs.

Wednesday morning, though, they were reckoning with a stunning sweep by Trump, who as the now-president-elect, appeared set for a swing-state sweep and left Democrats wondering how it all went so wrong.

"Complete, unmitigated disaster," Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said when asked about the results. "That was a wholesale repudiation of the Democratic message, the Democratic strategy, Harris' candidacy. There is no way to sugarcoat what an abject disaster this was."

Click here for analysis on the pitfalls of the Harris campaign and what may come during Trump's second term.