After President Joe Biden’s unprecedented move to withdraw from the 2024 race so late in the election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, she is actively working to secure the delegates he won during the Democratic primary.
Almost 4,000 delegates and 700 superdelegates will gather at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Aug. 19–22 to select the party’s presidential nominee. While President Biden won more than 3,800 delegates during the state primaries and caucuses, they cannot simply be transferred to another candidate, so Ms. Harris must secure support from at least 1,986 delegates to win the nomination.
A total of 664 pledged delegates had already endorsed the vice president by 1 p.m. ET on July 22. Another 12 unpledged delegates from Florida had also endorsed Ms. Harris by Monday afternoon.
According to Democratic National Committee rules, candidates must receive pledged support from at least 300 delegates to appear on the ballot at the convention.
Critically, many of the names that had been floated as potential replacements for President Biden on the 2024 ticket—including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear—had all endorsed Ms. Harris by Monday morning.
Tennessee became the first state to pledge all its eligible delegates to Ms. Harris, followed by South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Florida.
In Tennessee, the state’s Democratic delegates hosted a Sunday conference call before announcing that all 63 delegates would support Ms. Harris.
South Carolina’s 55 delegates to the Democratic National Convention met on Sunday night and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the new presidential nominee.
After a historic shift away from the Iowa caucuses as the first in the nation within the primary cycle, South Carolina was the first state this year to host its Democratic primary.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain, who also chairs the state’s delegation, said she appreciates the president’s “decades of service to the nation” in a statement.
“We must move forward in unity for the sake of democracy. By selecting President Biden in February, South Carolina Democrats also selected the Vice President for her ability to lead. Vice President Harris has been fully vetted, and she has earned our unwavering support,” Ms. Spain said.
Ms. Clayton said the delegates “voted unanimously” on Sunday to endorse and “put our party’s full support behind the nomination” of Ms. Harris.
“I’m proud of our party,” Ms. Clayton said.
In New Hampshire, the state’s 25 pledged delegates hosted a meeting on Sunday before endorsing the vice president.
“Florida Democrats are fired up and ready to elect Kamala Harris this November,” Ms. Fried said.
Louisiana’s 48 pledged delegates are also supporting the vice president after a call on Sunday night.
“Vice President Kamala Harris possesses experience that uniquely qualifies her to serve as President of the United States, a strong track record of delivering for the American people on the heels of the Biden-Harris Administration, and the leadership to unite the party through this unprecedented time,” Mr. Ulman said.
