Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to be named her party’s 2024 presidential nominee, according to a tally late Monday night.
Many top Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have rallied around Ms. Harris as their party’s preferred candidate to take on GOP presidential nominee former President Donald Trump. President Biden stepped aside on July 21, saying he supports new party leadership going into 2025.
Several state delegations met late Monday to confirm their support for Ms. Harris, including Texas and her home state of California. By Monday night, Harris had the support of at least 2,574 delegates, according to an Epoch Times tally of delegates—more than the 1,976 majority of delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot.
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential race. The next crucial decision will be selecting a running mate to complete the ticket.
After President Joe Biden endorsed Ms. Harris as the party’s nominee on July 21, several names have been floated as her potential running mate.
Gov. Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51, has emerged as a top contender for the vice presidential pick. Before assuming office in 2023, he served as the state’s attorney general from 2017 to 2023.
With President Joe Biden’s tectonic announcement that he will not run for reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris appears on the path to clinch the nomination. She has quickly secured endorsements from President Biden and many key Democrats.
If she is formally nominated at the Democratic National Convention next month, she will face former President Donald Trump in November in the race to the White House.
1. She’s 59 Years Old
Ms. Harris was born Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, and is currently 59 years old.2. Her Father Is Black and Her Mother Was Indian
Ms. Harris’s father is Donald Harris, a black man of Jamaican descent, and her mother was Shymala Gopalan, now deceased, who was an immigrant from India.
The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, unanimously endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday.
“From day one, Vice President Kamala Harris has been a true partner in leading the most pro-labor administration in history,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said.
“At every step in her distinguished career in public office, she’s proven herself a principled and tenacious fighter for working people and a visionary leader we can count on.”
Vice President Kamala Harris appeared in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 22 to accept both President Joe Biden’s endorsement and the established staff and network of the Biden–Harris reelection campaign.
She praised and thanked President Joe Biden for his leadership, expressed confidence in her new staff, and outlined her vision for the next four years, should she ascend to the Oval Office.
“Together, we [will] fight to build a nation where every person has affordable health care, where every worker is paid fairly, and where every senior can retire with dignity,” she said, adding that building up the middle class would be a “defining goal” of a Harris presidency.
As Vice President Kamala Harris prepared to address her new campaign staff, President Joe Biden called in to speak with the staff and implore them to turn their support to Ms. Harris.
He praised them for the dedication and sacrifices they made to help him with his reelection campaign and said that he didn't know of a better campaign organization in his political career.
But, he said, stepping aside for Ms. Harris was the right thing to do.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as its new presidential nominee on Monday in a statement posted to X.
The party said its members voted unanimously to back Ms. Harris after President Joe Biden pulled out of the race on Sunday. More than 90 percent of Wisconsin’s delegates have already pledged their support for her ahead of the convention Aug. 19–22.
“Wisconsin Democrats are united, fired up, and ready to deliver Wisconsin for Kamala Harris!” the party wrote.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Delaware on Air Force Two just before 4 p.m. ET on July 22.
Upon arrival at Delaware Air National Guard station, she was joined by her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, and the couple was greeted by Delaware Gov. John Carney as well as other Delaware Democrats.
The greeting list included Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), State Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock, and Mayor of Wilmington Mike Purzycki.
The Harris campaign said on Monday that it had raised $81 million in the first 24 hours since the vice president announced her presidential bid on July 21.
Adding to the existing quarter of a billion-dollar war chest inherited from the Biden campaign, the money was raised through the Harris campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees.
The Harris campaign said it received donations from more than 888,000 grassroots donors in the past 24 hours, 60 percent of whom “made their first contribution of the 2024 cycle.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) issued a joint statement addressing Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign but left out any endorsement.
“Vice President Kamala Harris is off to a great start with her promise to pursue the presidential nomination in a manner consistent with the grassroots and transparent process set forth by the Democratic National Committee,” they said.
The leaders acknowledged that Ms. Harris is “rapidly picking up support from grassroots delegates” across the country.
As Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign gets underway, speculation of who could be her vice president choice ramps up, if she secures the nomination.
Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, was asked whether or not he would accept the opportunity if offered during an interview on CNN on July 22.
He said that while he appreciated the question and that, “If somebody asked, I’d take a serious look,” he also said that his phone hasn’t rung yet.
Vice President Kamala Harris on July 22 secured the backing of the majority of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, less than two days after announcing her run for the presidency in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
By 11 p.m. ET on July 22, 2,574 pledged delegates had endorsed the vice president, according to a tally by The Epoch Times—more than 1,976 delegate majority needed to win the nomination.
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. However, as delegates won’t cast their official nomination until the convention or if the party chooses to hold a virtual roll call ahead of the event, there is still a chance for new candidates to campaign and challenge Ms. Harris.
Mike Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City and a frontrunner in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, celebrated President Joe Biden’s “lifetime of honorable public service” in a statement on Monday.
“Stepping aside from this campaign is an act of selflessness that only a great patriot would do,” Mr. Bloomberg said.
“No matter what happens in November, history will record that he put the country’s interests ahead of his own to defeat a candidate who has always put his own interests ahead of the country’s.”
While speaking with reporters on July 22, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he is “not interested” in seeking the vice presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
“I have expressed that I love my job, and I have no intention of leaving,” Mr. Moore said.
He said Vice President Kamala Harris will have a “very personal decision” on a running mate, with “wonderful options” to consider.
Shortly after endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president, Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, also confirmed that she did not want to be her running mate.
“I’m not planning to go anywhere,” Ms. Whitmer told Lansing, Michigan’s local CBS affiliate WLNS on July 22. “I am not leaving Michigan. I’m proud to be the governor of Michigan.”
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio—Chants of "fight, fight, fight" and waves of red and blue Trump–Vance signs filled the Middletown High School auditorium leading up to Sen. JD Vance's first solo rally as former President Donald Trump's running mate.
Mr. Vance grew up in this industrial town midway between Cincinnati and Dayton in southwest Ohio. He wrote a book, "Hillbilly Elegy," detailing his childhood in Middletown and Jackson, Kentucky. The book was brought to the small screen by director Ron Howard on Netflix. The book and the movie catapulted Mr. Vance to national prominence.
Democratic National Convention delegates from Florida and Maryland announced they have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as their 2024 presidential nominee on July 22.
“We wholeheartedly believe Vice-President Kamala Harris embodies the values and principles of the Democratic Party and is the most qualified Democrat to continue delivering for the American people,” Florida’s Democratic delegates said in a joint statement. “Her vision for America is one where everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has the opportunity to thrive.”
Meanwhile, the Maryland DNC delegation announced it “met virtually and voted to unanimously endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 Democratic nomination for President of the United States.”
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris “with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future” on July 22, stating that her support is “official, personal, and political.”
“Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’s strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose,” she said in her statement. “Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as [someone] rooted in strong values, faith, and commitment to public service.
“Politically, make no mistake: Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute—and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president on July 22.
He took to X in the early afternoon, posting a graphic that reads, “Let’s win this. Harris for President,” and stating he was “proud to support and be all in for the next president, Kamala Harris.”
The senator also shared a link to the Democratic PAC ActBlue, calling for more people to donate to the Harris campaign.
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday lauded President Joe Biden’s announcement not to seek reelection and said that both parties should tamp down the political rhetoric.
“President Joe Biden made the right decision for our country and I thank him for putting the interests of our Nation ahead of his own,” Mr. Pence wrote in a post on X.
“After the assassination attempt on President Trump and President Biden’s decision to end his campaign, now is a time for leaders in both parties to project calm and send a message of strength and resolve to America’s friends and enemies alike that, whatever the state of our politics, the American people are strong and our American military stands ready to defend our freedom and our vital national interests anywhere in the world,” he added.
Vice President Kamala Harris took a moment to praise the work of President Joe Biden on July 22 during her remarks at an event celebrating the 2023–24 National Collegiate Athletic Association championship teams.
“Joe Biden's legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history,” she said.
President Joe Biden is still recovering from COVID-19, and Ms. Harris said, “he’s feeling much better and recovering fast, and looks forward to getting back on the road.”
The White House confirmed Vice President Kamala Harris will appear at a campaign event later today.
Her daily schedule was updated at 11:38 a.m. today, stating, “At 3:10 p.m. ET, the Vice President will travel to Wilmington, Delaware, for a campaign engagement.”
This will be her first campaign event since President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed Ms. Harris as the Democratic Party’s new presidential nominee.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday will deliver her first public speech since President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race. Less than 24 hours after the announcement, Democrats are coalescing around Ms. Harris, positioning her to clinch the nomination.
Ms. Harris will deliver remarks at a White House event celebrating the National Collegiate Association championship teams from the 2023-2024 season.
Democratic House Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) announced their own endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris for their party’s nominee for president.
Ms. Clark took to X with a simple endorsement, sharing a picture of her hugging the vice president with the caption “Team Harris.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Aguilar shared a longer official statement, saying, “I know Kamala to be a fierce advocate for working families and a tough-minded prosecutor who knows right from wrong.”
Vice President Kamala Harris was endorsed by four midwestern governors as the Democratic Party presidential nominee, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans,” he said in a statement on July 22. “From protecting women’s rights to defending American workers and strengthening the middle class, Vice President Harris is a champion of the American values we hold dear.”
The governor also said that he “will work hard to get her elected,” and he believes Ms. Harris is most qualified to be president.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose name has been regularly mentioned as a possible replacement for President Joe Biden in the 2024 race, posted a statement on X, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Today, I am fired up to endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States,” Ms. Whitmer wrote.
“She's a former prosecutor, a champion for reproductive freedom, and I know that she's got Michigan's back,” she added. “Vice President Harris has my full support.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president in an official statement on the morning of July 22.
“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden–Harris Administration, and that's why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Nominee for president,” he said.
Mr. Moore went on to say that his decision “goes far beyond politics,” calling back to his interaction with the vice president after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March.
With President Joe Biden now out of the presidential race, one of his former rivals for the Democratic nomination is calling for a competitive process to select the party’s nominee.
While other Democrats—including the president—have begun to coalesce around Vice President Kamala Harris as the best candidate for the job, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who suspended his own campaign in March, wrote in a July 21 X post that he believes a “brief, transparent, competitive” selection process would “serve democracy, generate energy, and provide legitimacy” to the party’s eventual nominee.
In another post, he suggested conducting a straw poll among Democrat delegates and then inviting Ms. Harris and the other top three candidates to participate in a series of televised town halls before the nominee is selected.
The day after President Joe Biden exited the presidential race, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) confirmed that he would not be the new Democratic Party nominee.
“I am not going to be a candidate for president,” Mr. Manchin told CBS Mornings on July 22.
The senator also said he believes Vice President Kamala Harris, who immediately earned President Biden’s endorsement, is too far left and he would like to see a directional change.
President Joe Biden pulled out of the 2024 presidential race on July 21 and immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the new party nominee.
Even with his endorsement of Ms. Harris, the future of the party ticket is uncertain, and Democrats must now navigate an unprecedented shift late in the election year. Ms. Harris has announced her intention to “earn and win this nomination.”
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for Aug. 19–22 in Chicago, Illinois. Originally, the event would have been a coronation for President Biden as the Democratic nominee, but now the convention will see an open contest of nearly 4,700 delegates looking for a new challenger to pit against former President Donald Trump in November.
Vice President Kamala Harris secured a commanding list of endorsements for her presidential nomination bid in the hours that followed the announcement from President Joe Biden that he is stepping out of the 2024 race.
The list of endorsements included the chairs of all 50 state parties, convention delegates from at least four states, and some of the biggest names in the party, including the Clintons, the governors of California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Democrat mega-donor Alex Soros.
The growing coalition behind Ms. Harris, which started with the endorsement from the president, has all but assured her as the party’s nominee to face GOP nominee former President Donald Trump in November.
“He looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates told news outlets in a statement.
Mr. Bates said that the president has already delivered strong economic growth and grown the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said that the president’s agenda in the final months of the term includes lowering costs, creating jobs, and protecting Social Security.