SACRAMENTO — In a somber Electoral College ceremony at the state Capitol on Tuesday, voters hoping to celebrate the historic presidency of a Democratic daughter of California cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris, knowing that Republican Donald Trump would would head to the White House next month. instead.
It was a very different scene from 2020, when Democratic voters in Sacramento erupted in joy and applause as California consolidated Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, ousting Trump after his first presidential term, as Republican refused to accept defeat and made unfounded allegations of electoral fraud. .
This time, a quiet lull filled the Assembly chamber as California’s 54 Electoral College votes were cast for Harris, the first California Democrat to become a presidential candidate.
“You can talk to your friends. This is not a funeral, this is the right time,” Secretary of State Shirley Weber said as she congratulated voters, seated at desks usually reserved for lawmakers, for their “dedication to democracy,” regardless of what they thought of the election result. election.
Harris received about 58% of the vote in her home state of California, beating Trump by more than 20 points, but lost to him nationally.
Although the popular vote nationwide between Harris and Trump was close, Trump won the Electoral College – the system based on population and state representation in Congress – by 312 votes to 226. Members of the college election gathered Tuesday in each state to vote for the candidate. who won his state.
Rusty Hicks, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said it was not a sad day of defeat, adding that the Golden State remained “a beacon of freedom” for the nation. Democrats maintain absolute power in Sacramento, governing in the governor’s office and the Legislature, even though they lost some seats.
And while the election was a big victory nationally for Republicans, who will soon control the Senate, House and presidency, Democrats unseated three Republican incumbents in California’s congressional races, helping to reduce the very slim majority of the Republican Party.
“Do most of us want a different outcome? Of course,” Hicks said at the Capitol on Tuesday. “But this is part of our democracy: making our voices heard, coming to the people’s house and honoring the election results. I think it’s something we should all be proud of.
California’s presidential electors included a slate of Democrats from across the state: city council members and mayors, political strategists, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials such as Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas ) and new Assemblyman Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles). .
Family members of politicians have also served as electors, including Karen Waters, daughter of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles); Angela Padilla, wife of Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla; Candice Adam-Medefind, mother of new Democratic Rep. Adam Gray; and Elizabeth Cisneros, mother of Republican-elect Gil Cisneros.
Trump was not mentioned during Tuesday’s official ceremony, but his impending presidency is inescapable at the California Capitol, where Gov. Gavin Newsom recently launched a special legislative session focused on litigation funding against Trump’s conservative policy proposals .
“This process reminds us of what is possible when we honor the voices of the people and the values we hold dear: freedom, fairness and the right of every individual to have a say and shape the world. future,” Rivas said in a welcoming speech on the Assembly floor.
Gray, who claimed a crucial congressional seat, ousting Republican Rep. John Duarte in an extremely close race in the Central Valley, was at the Capitol Tuesday as an observer.
The newly elected congressman was cautiously optimistic about the new administration and said he was willing to work with Trump on areas where they agreed.
“In every election, no one wins. “That doesn’t stop us from waking up the next day and continuing to work on the things that are important to our communities,” he said.
Xiomara Flores-Holguin was a voter Tuesday and a top volunteer for Democrat George Whitesides’ congressional campaign. Whitesides, a first-time candidate, defeated Republican Rep. Mike Garcia in another closely watched House race in northern Los Angeles County.
Flores-Holguin said she was filled with “mixed emotions” Tuesday. She plans to help Democrats revise their voter engagement strategies with a renewed focus on Latino voters ahead of the next election.
“Coming today, I feel like there’s still a glimmer of hope that the Democrats are back,” she said. “We learned some lessons from it and we are not giving up. We are not leaving.
