Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker discusses 2024 election results after Donald Trump beats Kamala Harris
Philadelphia Democratic Mayor Cherelle Parker held a news conference Thursday to discuss the 2024 election results after President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris and Republicans won key races in Pennsylvania.
In his third presidential run, the president-elect outperformed his 2020 election results in Philadelphia. City data shows Trump won five of the city's 66 wards — the 26th ward in South Philadelphia, the 45th in parts of Port Richmond and Bridesburg and wards 58, 63 and 66 in Northeast Philadelphia. City data shows that Trump received the most votes in the 58th ward.
Trump won Pennsylvania's 19 electoral college votes with 50.4% of the vote as of Thursday morning, according to CBS News data.
On Thursday, Parker was asked what she believes led to Harris's underperformance in Philadelphia and her ultimate loss in the state. But Parker said she wasn't there to point fingers or "Monday morning quarterback."
"When someone is looking for me as mayor or someone else, you let other people engage in that noise. That's messiness," said Parker.
The mayor did acknowledge that many in the city, which overwhelmingly supported the Democratic vice president, are "coming to grips" with Harris's loss. But Parker reiterated comments from both Harris and President Biden in the last few days, telling supporters now is not the time to throw up their hands in defeat.
"It is time to roll up our sleeves, the vice president said yesterday. It's time to organize, to mobilize and to stay focused on the work," Parker said.
As for moving forward, the mayor, surrounded by most of her cabinet, said she is focused on continuing to deliver her agenda to Philadelphians, regardless of the election results. But when asked about concerns she may have about an incoming Trump administration, Parker was vague.
"As reality sort of sets in, and we get prepared for what a new federal administration will look like under the Trump administration, let's let Philadelphia stay focused on what Philadelphia is supposed to do," Parker said. "Our people are looking for us to deliver, and that's what I intend on continuing to do."
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that the commonwealth "once again held a free, fair, safe, and secure election."
"The people of Pennsylvania have spoken, electing Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States along with other Republicans and Democrats for state and federal offices on the same ballot," Shapiro said in a statement. "I know the pundits will analyze every aspect of this election, but for my part, I'm going to continue to listen to the good people of Pennsylvania, show respect for their choices, and find ways to bring people back together and move the ball down the field to put points on the board for all of us."
Shapiro added he will continue to "defend our democracy, defend our fundamental rights, and ensure we continue the legacy of William Penn by building a Commonwealth that is warm and welcoming for all."
Pennsylvania's Senate race remains a toss-up between U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican businessperson Dave McCormick. As of Thursday, votes are still being counted.
Casey's campaign said in a statement Thursday that the vote margin shrunk by 50,000 points Wednesday.
"This race is now within half a point, the threshold for automatic recounts in Pennsylvania," a spokesperson for Casey's Senate campaign said. "With tens of thousands more votes to be counted, we are committed to ensuring every Pennsylvanian's vote is heard and confident that at the end of that process, Sen. Casey will be re-elected."
Pennsylvania law states an automatic recount is triggered if unofficial results between two candidates in a statewide contest are between 0.5%.
