Vice President Kamala Harris has enough Democratic Party delegate votes in a virtual roll call to officially earn the party’s nomination when the roll call ends Monday, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison announced Friday.
“I am so proud to confirm that Vice President Harris has earned more than a majority of votes from all convention delegates and will be the nominee of the Democratic Party following the close of voting on Monday,” Harrison said during a campaign update video call on Friday.
“You returned your nomination petitions at lightning speed. You made your voices heard. And what you said was clear: We are not going back. We have to send Kamala Harris to the White House,” Harrison said to the delegates in a call plagued by audio issues. “You demonstrated your dedication and your commitment to this process.”
DNC Chair Jamie Harrison is shown on a DNC livestream on Aug. 2, 2024.
DNC
Convention delegates have been virtually voting by email or phone since 9 a.m. ET on Thursday in a virtual roll call set up by the Democratic National Committee. Delegates still have until Monday at 6 p.m. ET to vote in the nomination process, and Harris — who joined the call — highlighted that she would officially accept her nomination then, after the voting period is closed.
“I am honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States,” said Harris, who the DNC deemed the presumptive nominee on Tuesday after she emerged from a process, laid out by the party’s Rules Committee, as the only qualified candidate.
“As your future president, I know we are up to this fight, and when we fight, everyone will say, we win,” she later added.
The nomination is a historic one — if she wins the general election in November against former President Donald Trump, she would be the first woman to serve as president. Harris is already the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to be vice president.
Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns In Atlanta, July 30, 2024.
Arvin Temkar/TNS via ZUMA Press via Shutterstock
Friday’s announcement marks a major milestone of Harris’ rapid ascension to the top of the ticket, which comes just 12 days after President Joe Biden ended his campaign for reelection on July 21 — a remarkable show of unity for a party that just weeks ago stood deeply divided over what to do about the president’s candidacy.
With Biden endorsing Harris to succeed him shortly after he announced that he would step aside, support from Democratic donors and elected officials quickly coalesced around the vice president. In the end, Harris was the only competitive candidate that launched a campaign to succeed Biden and the only candidate that received enough delegate signatures to progress to the virtual roll call.
Harris is the first candidate to become the nominee for either major party without winning a single party primary since Hubert Humphrey in 1968. (That year’s convention precipitated reforms that led to the modern primary process.)
The DNC initially decided in May to hold a virtual roll call because of uncertainty over deadlines to get on the ballot in Ohio. The state legislature eventually rectified the issue, but the DNC has argued that Republican lawmakers in Ohio are acting in bad faith and that the Democratic candidate needs to be nominated earlier than the convention to avoid legal issues. Ohio leaders have denied this allegation.
ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
After a long and competitive primary season, Senator Kamala Harris has officially secured enough delegate votes to become the Democratic nominee for the 2020 presidential election. This historic moment was announced by Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Tom Perez, who praised Harris for her dedication to public service and her commitment to fighting for the American people.
Harris, who currently serves as the junior Senator from California, has been a rising star in the Democratic Party for several years. She first gained national attention during her tenure as California’s Attorney General, where she fought tirelessly for criminal justice reform and civil rights. In 2016, she was elected to the U.S. Senate, where she has continued to champion progressive policies on issues such as healthcare, immigration, and climate change.
Throughout her campaign for the Democratic nomination, Harris has emphasized her commitment to addressing income inequality, expanding access to healthcare, and reforming the criminal justice system. She has also been a vocal critic of President Trump’s policies, particularly on issues such as immigration and foreign relations.
Harris’s nomination is a significant milestone in American politics, as she is the first woman of color to be selected as a major party’s presidential nominee. Her candidacy represents a historic moment for women and people of color, who have long been underrepresented in positions of power in the United States.
In his announcement of Harris’s nomination, DNC Chair Tom Perez highlighted her strong leadership qualities and her ability to bring people together. He praised her for her dedication to serving the American people and for her unwavering commitment to fighting for justice and equality.
As the Democratic nominee, Harris will now turn her attention to the general election, where she will face off against President Trump in November. With the country facing unprecedented challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty, Harris’s message of unity and progress will be crucial in rallying support from voters across the country.
Overall, Kamala Harris’s historic nomination as the Democratic nominee for president is a significant moment in American history. Her candidacy represents a step forward for diversity and inclusion in politics, and her leadership will be crucial in shaping the future of our country.
