The United States Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. This pivotal moment sets the stage for her to face off against Republican Donald Trump in the upcoming November election.
The nomination process, which spanned five days, saw Harris as the sole candidate in an electronic vote involving nearly 4,000 party convention delegates. At 59, she makes history as the first Black and South Asian woman to be nominated by a major political party. Her official confirmation will take place at a convention in Chicago later this month.
“I am honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States,” Harris expressed in a phone call to a party celebration after achieving the necessary votes by the second day of the virtual vote.
This nomination comes two weeks after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election, endorsing Harris instead. Since then, Harris has taken command of the party, breaking fundraising records, filling arenas with supporters, and narrowing the polling gap with Trump.
President Biden shared his pride in a post on X, stating, “I couldn’t be prouder,” following Harris’s nomination.
Harris’s campaign plans include a tour of seven key states next week, although her running mate has yet to be announced. The Democratic Party’s decision to conduct a virtual nomination process echoes the approach taken during the 2020 pandemic, driven by an early deadline in Ohio for submitting certified candidate names.
The virtual roll call signifies the official start of the 2024 convention, with traditional events commencing when party members convene in Chicago on August 19. The convention will include a ceremonial vote celebrating Harris’s journey from California prosecutor to a groundbreaking presidential candidate.
The political landscape shifted dramatically on July 21 when Biden, at 81, withdrew from the race amidst concerns about his age and declining poll numbers, and endorsed Harris, paving the way for her historic nomination.
