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

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.

President Joe Biden will address the nation at 11 a.m. on Thursday from the Rose Garden, the White House said on Wednesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson formally launched his bid to continue serving as leader in a letter sent to GOP colleagues on Wednesday.

"I'm ready to take the field with all of you, and I am humbly asking for your support to continue leading this Conference as your Speaker. It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve with you thus far, and I look forward to playing the biggest offense of our lives. We have a country to save-and we will," Johnson said in the letter obtained by ABC News.

Johnson represents Louisiana in the House.

House GOP leadership elections will take place behind closed doors on Nov. 13.

Johnson said, "as we have planned and expected, the latest data indicates that we will also hold - and likely grow-our Republican majority in the House, even though we faced a map with 18 Biden-won seats."

ABC News has not yet projected the House majority.

It was just a little over a year ago when Republicans elected Johnson as House speaker after ousting former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.