The morning after Election Day, Harris campaign aides and allies are grappling with shock and disbelief following their candidate's loss to Donald Trump. Sources close to the campaign expressed feelings of deep disappointment and unease, with one describing their stomach as being in knots and another simply stating it was terrible.
Despite maintaining that the election would be close, the scope of Harris' defeat has left many reeling. Even as the results were still being finalized on Wednesday morning, the outcome was described as stunning by those who had worked tirelessly to get Harris elected.
One senior campaign adviser acknowledged the possibility of a Harris defeat but pointed to the surprising margin of victory in New Jersey, where Harris was only ahead of Trump by about 5 percentage points. This stark contrast to Biden's 2020 win in the state by around 16 percentage points raised concerns about broader trends at play.
Leading up to election night, Harris campaign officials exuded confidence in the vice president's standing, citing on-the-ground reports and internal data. However, this confidence quickly dissipated as the results unfolded, with Pennsylvania being highlighted as the decisive blow.
As the emotional impact of the election results sinks in, many campaign aides are also facing the practical realities of the end of a presidential campaign. They are preparing to leave their temporary homes in battleground states and contemplate their next career moves.
Looking ahead, Harris will be gearing up to vacate the Naval Observatory in January. As of Wednesday morning, she had not yet addressed the American public, having opted to skip her election night party at Howard University the previous evening.
