Vice-President Kamala Harris has secured the majority support of Democratic delegates, clinching the party’s nomination for president.
According to a survey by the Associated Press on Monday evening, July 22, 2024, Harris has received endorsements from more than the 1,976 delegates needed to win the nomination in the first round of voting.
This development sets Harris up to become the Democratic Party’s standard bearer, challenging Republican candidate Donald Trump in the upcoming November presidential election.
The nomination will be officially confirmed during the roll call vote at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago next month.
Delegates, who represent their electoral areas, have made non-binding pledges of support that are unlikely to change. No other candidate has stepped forward to challenge Harris since President Joe Biden exited the race on Sunday.
Biden faced increasing pressure from senior party members following a poor debate performance against Trump.
Harris will formally secure the nomination if the current support holds when delegates cast their votes from August 1-7.
The AP survey reflects a significant groundswell of support for Harris following Biden’s withdrawal. Since Biden’s announcement, her campaign has received millions in donations, and leading Democrats have endorsed her bid.
Harris is set to campaign in the key swing state of Wisconsin on Tuesday, with a rally in Milwaukee marking her first campaign event since Biden’s decision to endorse her.
Meanwhile, after isolating due to a COVID-19 infection, Biden will return to the White House and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Harris will also meet Netanyahu separately but will miss his address to Congress due to a prior engagement.
Speaking at her campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, Harris targeted Trump, referencing her career as a prosecutor in California:
“I know Donald Trump’s type.”
She noted the contrasting visions for the country’s future between her campaign and Trump’s, stating:
“Donald Trump wants to take our country backwards… we believe in a brighter future that makes room for all Americans.”
Harris also praised Biden’s achievements, calling her tenure as his vice-president “one of the greatest honors of my life.”
