US Vice President Kamala Harris has gained enough support from Democratic delegates to secure the party’s nomination for president, according to a report from CNN.
Harris has received backing from more than the 1,976 pledged delegates required to win the nomination on the first ballot. She became the presumed nominee after President Joe Biden withdrew from his reelection campaign on Sunday. Biden's decision followed weeks of internal party disputes and declining support in polls against Republican rival Donald Trump.
Harris secured the nomination on Monday night (US local time), less than 36 hours after Biden endorsed her. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Harris expressed her pride in earning the necessary support to become the party's nominee. "Over the next few months, I'll be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything on the line," she said. Harris emphasized her intention to unite the Democratic Party and the nation, and to defeat Donald Trump.
A statement from Harris, acknowledging her position as the presumptive Democratic nominee, was also posted on her X account. CNN reported that while these endorsements are not binding, delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice with Biden out of the race.
On Tuesday, Harris will campaign in Wisconsin, a key battleground state, for the first time as a presidential candidate. The trip to Wisconsin offers Harris an opportunity to reset the Democrats' campaign and make her case as the best candidate to beat Trump. She is scheduled to speak at a political event in Milwaukee at 1:05 pm CDT (1805 GMT).
Harris also gave a preview of how she plans to challenge Trump. She referred to her past experience as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, where she pursued "predators" and "fraudsters." This background, she suggested, would inform her approach to taking on Trump in the upcoming election.
Harris's journey to securing the Democratic nomination marks a significant moment in her political career. As she prepares to campaign across the country, her focus will be on uniting the party and presenting a strong challenge to Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
