Vice President Kamala Harris has earned support from enough Democratic delegates to become the likely party nominee for president. The news arrives just a day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and threw his full support behind Harris.
According to the Associated Press, by Monday night, the vice president had the support of at least 2,579 delegates, which is more than the he 1,976 delegates required to clinch the first ballot. California state Democratic Chairman Rusty Hicks told the outlet that 75 to 80 percent of the state’s delegation had unanimously supported Harris.
“When I announced my campaign for president, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination,” Harris said in a statement. “Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee,” she said, adding: “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”
Delegates at the Democratic national convention will still be able to vote for the candidate of their choice in August and a virtual roll call will be held during which convention delegates can pick a nominee prior to the Chicago event.
In his endorsement of Harris released minutes after announcing Sunday that he would no longer be running for reelection in 2024, Biden wrote that it was his “first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.” He added, “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
As a chorus of leaders from across multiple industries, from lawmakers to Hollywood, have pledged their support for Harris‘ presidential ticket, Trump and his allies are panicking over the prospect of the Trump facing Harris instead of President Biden.
Unbothered by the right’s meltdown, Harris delivered her first public appearance since the president endorsed her candidacy, and walked on stage to Beyoncé’s “Freedom.”
“What kind of country do we want to live in: A country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law?” asked Harris from her campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. “Or a country of chaos, fear, and hate?”
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds: Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own game,” Harris continued. “So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type. And in this campaign, I will proudly put my record against his.”
From Rolling Stone US
