US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday launched a race to secure Democratic endorsement and the party’s nomination to take on Donald Trump in November after President Joe Biden’s sensational exit.
Armed with Biden’s backing, the 59-year-old has quickly won the support of the Democrats and is now set to kick off the first day of her re-election campaign with an event at the White House.
Kamala Harris still needs to secure the backing of some key supporters if she is to secure the nomination, which could happen as soon as August 1, with some Democrats still calling on the party to show transparency through an open primary election.
America’s first female, Black and South Asian vice president has a unique opportunity to unite the party, as 81-year-old Biden’s historic decision to step aside from the nomination has pushed the race into uncharted territory.
The surprise development has energised a demoralised party, transforming an election that had threatened to turn into a long battle between two unpopular old men into a possible one that could give the US its first female president.
Kamala Harris spent more than 10 hours on Sunday calling more than 100 party leaders, members of Congress, governors and other figures, a person familiar with her schedule said.
“On each call, the vice president made clear that she is extremely grateful for the president’s support, but plans to work hard to clinch the Democratic nomination,” the source said.
He has reportedly spoken to former President Barack Obama, who was among those who backed out from endorsing him on Sunday.
‘Threat to democracy’
The party has promised a “transparent and orderly process” to replace Biden, who bowed to Democratic concerns over his age and mental acuity on Sunday after a disastrous debate performance against Trump.
One potential rival, independent Senator Joe Manchin, who has long been a thorn in Biden’s side, on Monday declined to register as a Democrat and run against him.
His campaign said it had raised a stunning $49.6 million in grassroots donations in less than 24 hours since Biden endorsed him on Sunday.
Biden’s withdrawal has also impacted the 78-year-old Trump’s re-election campaign, which was largely based on accusing Biden of being too old.
Kamala Harris’ entry not only overturns the age issue, but also pits Trump — a convicted felon who has faced multiple legal charges of sexual assault — against a woman and former prosecutor.
Trump posted a series of expletive-laden posts on social media following Biden’s resignation, mocking his age and saying he and Kamala Harris were a “threat to democracy.”
The challenges facing Kamala Harris remain daunting in the fast-moving process
And the vice president has long suffered from poor approval ratings after a disappointing first two years in the White House, and some polls have her tied with Trump, who looks set to be in a straight contest. That could change, however, as she campaigns on her image for the first time.
According to a CBS report, potential convention delegates have been told to expect a vote to formally place Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket on August 1, more than two weeks before the convention begins.
Voices have been thin so far for a contentious convention scheduled to begin on August 19 in Chicago, with potential rivals such as California’s popular governor Gavin Newsom backing Kamala Harris. Kentucky’s popular governor Andy Beshear also publicly endorsed Kamala Harris on Monday, fuelling speculation that she could be chosen as the new vice-presidential pick.
‘The greatest honour’
Democratic lawmakers and party veterans, including at least a third of U.S. Senators, some key governors, and Bill and Hillary Clinton, have already come out in support of Kamala Harris.
But several big names — from Obama, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his influential predecessor Nancy Pelosi to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — had initially backed away.
The Democratic ticket has been in disarray since Biden’s disappointing debate performance in June, with Republicans uniting around Trump after a deadly attack on him at a rally in Pennsylvania eight days earlier.
Biden spent more than three weeks resisting calls to step down but then dropped his bombshell as he recovered from Covid at his Delaware beach house.
The veteran Democrat said being president is the “greatest honor of my life” and promised to address the nation this weekend, offering his “full support and endorsement” of Kamala Harris.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
