Kamala Harris secures enough Democratic delegates for Presidential nomination
Washington DC: Vice President Kamala Harris has swiftly garnered enough support from Democratic delegates to secure her party’s nomination against Republican Donald Trump, according to a recent survey. This surge of endorsement comes in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the reelection race.
The Democratic Party, eager to move past internal conflicts over Biden’s political future, has rallied behind Harris with prominent elected officials, party leaders, and political organisations lining up behind her campaign. Following Biden’s exit, Harris set a new 24-hour fundraising record for presidential donations on Monday.
Several state delegations, including Texas and her home state of California, convened late Monday to confirm their overwhelming support for Harris. By Monday night, Harris had amassed well over the 1,976 delegates needed to secure a first-ballot victory.
Rusty Hicks, California state Democratic Chairman, reported that 75% to 80% of the state’s delegation unanimously backed Harris during a Tuesday call.
“I’ve not heard anyone mentioning or calling for any other candidate,” Hicks said. “Tonight’s vote was a momentous one.”
Harris, in a statement, responded to the tally, saying she is “grateful to President Biden and everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me, and I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people.”
The shift from concerns over Biden’s candidacy to unified support for Harris has dramatically altered the presidential contest landscape, disrupting carefully laid plans of both major political parties for the 2024 race.
Addressing her campaign staff in Wilmington, Delaware, Harris acknowledged the recent tumultuous weeks, expressing confidence in her newly organised team. “It is my intention to go out and earn this nomination and to win,” she said. She promised to “unite our Democratic Party, to unite our nation, and to win this election.”
She emphasised themes central to her campaign against Trump, highlighting her prosecutorial background and contrasting it with Trump’s legal troubles. Harris also positioned herself as a champion for economic opportunity and abortion rights. “Our fight for the future is also a fight for freedoms,” she said. “The baton is in our hands.”
President Biden, recovering from COVID-19 at his Rehoboth Beach home, telephoned into the meeting to endorse Harris. He plans to address the nation later this week about his decision to step aside.“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” Biden said in his first public remarks since announcing his decision to step aside, promising he was “not going anywhere” and plans to campaign on Harris’ behalf.
Biden said of his decision, “It was the right thing to do.”
As he handed off the mantle of leadership to Harris, Biden added: “I’m watching you kid. I love you.”
Following Biden’s withdrawal, Harris’s campaign officially transitioned to "Harris for President," inheriting a formidable political infrastructure and a substantial war chest of nearly $96 million as of June’s end. Within the first 24 hours of Biden’s endorsement, Harris’s campaign reported an additional $81 million in contributions from over 888,000 donors, setting a record for presidential fundraising.
The momentum behind Harris’s campaign has also translated into a surge of volunteer interest, with over 28,000 new volunteers registering since the announcement — a rate exceeding 100 times the average day’s recruitment during Biden’s reelection campaign, underscoring the enthusiasm for Harris.
If elected, Harris would make history as the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office of President of the United States.
Agencies