Vice President Kamala Harris is set to campaign in Wisconsin on Tuesday, marking her debut as a presidential candidate after securing enough Democratic delegates' endorsement, paving her way to the nomination.
Harris has emerged as the party's presumptive nominee following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from his re-election campaign on Sunday, amid party discord and declining internal poll support against Republican contender Donald Trump. Within 36 hours of Biden's endorsement, Harris clinched the nomination on Monday by garnering the pledged support of a majority of the party's delegates, according to her campaign.
"Tonight, I am honored to have secured the broad support necessary to become our party's nominee," Harris stated late Monday. "I eagerly anticipate formally accepting the nomination soon."
An unofficial Associated Press survey of delegates indicated Harris with over 2,500 delegates, surpassing the required 1,976 for a win in the upcoming vote. Although delegates could technically reconsider, no other candidate received votes in the AP survey; 54 delegates remained undecided.
Harris's Wisconsin visit presents an opportunity for the 59-year-old former California prosecutor to revitalize the Democrats' campaign and argue her case for being the best candidate to defeat Trump. She is scheduled to speak at a political event in Milwaukee at 1:05 p.m. CDT (1805 GMT).
On Monday, Harris hinted at her strategy against Trump, drawing on her experience as a prosecutor targeting "predators" and "fraudsters" during her tenure as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general.
Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania, is considered a crucial battleground for any candidate, where Biden was trailing Trump. "There are independents and young people who were dissatisfied with their options, and Harris has a chance to win them over," noted Paul Kendrick, executive director of the Democratic group Rust Belt Rising.
Harris has also seen a surge in campaign donations, raising $81 million since Biden's withdrawal on Sunday, nearly matching the $95 million the Biden campaign had at the end of June. Hollywood donors lifted their political donation embargo, with endorsements from celebrities like rapper Cardi B and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies have attempted to link Harris to Biden's unpopular policies, such as immigration. "Kamala Harris's record is one of complete failure and incompetence. Her policies mirror Biden's," stated Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung.
Despite these challenges, Harris offers the Democrats a chance to reinvigorate voters who were unenthusiastic about both Biden and Trump, according to interviews with several leading Democrats in Wisconsin. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley highlighted Harris's potential to attract crucial Black voters.
With Harris at the top of the ticket, speculation has intensified about potential vice presidential candidates, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and others.
