US Vice President Kamala Harris has solidified her position as the Democratic party's presidential nominee following a successful electronic vote among nearly 4,000 party delegates. This marks a significant milestone as she prepares to lead the party into the November election against Republican candidate Donald Trump. Harris, the only candidate on the ballot during the five-day electronic voting process, will be formally nominated at a convention in Chicago later this month.
"I am deeply honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States," Harris, aged 59, declared during a call to a party event after securing the necessary votes by the second day of the extensive voting period. Since President Joe Biden withdrew his re-election bid two weeks ago, Harris has assumed full control of the party, with no other Democrats stepping up to challenge her ascent to the top of the ticket.
This confirmation makes Harris the first Black and South Asian woman to secure a major party's nomination, a historic achievement. As she gears up for the campaign trail, Harris is set to tour seven key battleground states with her yet-to-be-announced running mate. The Democratic Party opted for a virtual nomination process, similar to the 2020 pandemic-era vote, due to Ohio's deadline for submitting certified candidate names for the November election.
The virtual roll call signifies the official start of the 2024 convention, with major events expected to commence when thousands of party supporters gather in Chicago on August 19. This gathering will include ceremonial votes for Harris and her running mate, celebrating her journey from state politics to the pinnacle of the party ticket. Trump's presidential campaign faced turmoil on July 21 when Biden, 81, endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Harris has already broken fundraising records, filled arenas, and overtaken Trump's polling leads over Biden, building momentum she aims to carry through the convention to the White House. She is scheduled to make her first public appearance with her running mate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. The tour will cover the "blue wall" states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, aiming to recreate the coalition that secured Biden's victory in 2020.
Additionally, Harris plans to extend her campaign to the racially diverse Sun Belt and southern states of Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada, focusing on strengthening the Black and Hispanic vote, which has shown signs of shifting away from the Democrats.
