Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris, the US Vice President, secured the Democratic party’s presidential nomination on Friday, marking her remarkable rise to the position of party standard bearer for November’s showdown against Republican Donald Trump.
At 59, Harris became the sole candidate on the ballot for a five-day electronic vote involving nearly 4,000 party convention delegates. As the first Black and South Asian woman to secure a major party’s nomination, she will receive her official nomination at a Chicago convention later this month.
“I am honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States,” Harris said during a phone-in to a party celebration after securing enough votes by the second day of the marathon virtual vote.
Biden congratulates Kamala Harris
In the two weeks since Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, Harris gained full control of the party, smashed fundraising records, packed arenas, and erased the polling leads Trump had built over the president.
Biden posted on X, “I couldn’t be prouder,” after her nomination.
Harris’s nomination milestone came as she prepared to hit the campaign trail next week for a swing across seven crucial election states alongside her yet-to-be-named running mate.
Democratic Party opts for a virtual nomination process
The Democratic Party opted for a virtual nomination process, departing from tradition and mirroring the procedure used in the pandemic-hit 2020 election. Due to an early deadline in Ohio for submitting the names of certified candidates.
The virtual roll call marked the official beginning of the 2024 convention. Traditional festivities will commence when thousands of party faithful descend on Chicago on August 19.
The gathering will feature a ceremonial vote for Harris in what will be a raucous celebration of her rise from California prosecutor to a historic candidate vying for the nation’s highest office.
Trump’s White House bid turned upside down on July 21 when 81-year-old Biden, facing growing concerns about his age and lagging polling numbers, withdrew his candidacy and backed Harris.
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