U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has unofficially secured enough support to be the Democratic Party’s candidate in the November presidential election, as party officials prepared to finalize the process for formally nominating a candidate ahead of next month’s Democratic National Convention.
An Associated Press tally late Monday had more than 2,200 delegates supporting Harris, easily surpassing the majority 1,976 she will need at the convention to clinch the nomination. The tally was based on public statements by state parties and interviews with individual delegates, the AP said.
“I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon,” Harris said in a statement late Monday.
Even before President Joe Biden announced his withdraw from the race, Democratic leaders had planned to hold a virtual vote ahead of the Aug. 19-22 convention.
With officials set to meet Wednesday to finalize the process, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison told reporters Monday the party will choose its nominee by Aug. 7.
Harris raised more than $80 million for her campaign in the hours after President Joe Biden stunningly withdrew Sunday from the 2024 contest against former President Donald Trump and endorsed her candidacy.
Numerous Democratic officials endorsed the candidacy of the 59-year-old Harris, and no key challengers have announced they will fight her for the nomination. Former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, still an influential figure within Democratic circles, endorsed her ascent to the presidential nomination, with other party leaders in Congress expected to follow.
“Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president of the United States,” Pelosi said in a statement Monday. “My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for president is official, personal and political.”
In addition, numerous Democratic governors across the country endorsed Harris, including J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Wes Moore of Maryland, Gavin Newsom of California, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Tony Evers of Wisconsin. The names of several of them have been floated as possible vice presidential running mates with Harris although she has made no public comments about who is under consideration.
Harris was a senator from California, the country’s most populous state, before Biden picked her as his vice-presidential running mate in 2020. She had been running for reelection for another four-year term as Biden’s second in command before he on Sunday relented to a growing number of calls from Democrats to drop out of the race after his faltering debate performance against Trump in late June.
Trump’s campaign contended in a campaign ad that Harris was aware that the 81-year-old Biden was declining mentally and physically. “Kamala was in on it,” the ad said. “She covered up Joe’s obvious mental decline. But Kamala knew Joe couldn’t do the job. So, she did it.” Therefore, the ad claimed, “Kamala owns this failed record.”
Harris said during a campaign event Monday that she will proudly put her record against that of the 78-year-old Trump.
“Donald Trump wants to take our country backwards to a time before many of our fellow Americans had full freedoms and rights. But we believe in a brighter future that makes room for all Americans,” Harris said.
Trump accepted the Republican Party’s nomination at a convention last week.
Steve Herman contributed to this report. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.
