Many Democrats have rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris to be their presidential nominee for the upcoming 2024 presidential elections against Donald Trump.
This support came after President Joe Biden’s abrupt departure from the race, causing a significant shift in the political landscape. Despite this, some influential party members, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have remained silent on the matter.
After weeks of internal debate over whether Biden, 81, should continue his campaign, a surge of support for Harris has become essential just over 100 days before the November election.
However, doubts remain within the Democratic Party about Harris’s ability to defeat Trump.
On Sunday, Biden endorsed Harris, though not in his initial resignation letter. Instead, he released a separate statement expressing his support.
He expressed his support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party nominee, calling her selection as his running mate in 2020 his “best decision.”
Bident said; “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” he said.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.” Biden wrote on X.
Following Biden’s endorsement, the Congressional Black Caucus, key donors, lawmakers like U.S. Senator Patty Murray, and super PACs such as Priorities USA and Unite the Country quickly followed suit.
Dmitri Mehlhorn, an adviser to LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, praised Harris, calling her “the American dream personified.” Mehlhorn highlighted her immigrant background and her rise from Oakland, California, to become the state’s top prosecutor. “With Scranton Joe stepping back, I cannot wait to help elect President Harris,” he said.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also endorsed Harris, showing a united front among some of the party’s heavyweights. However, other prominent figures, including Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, have yet to endorse Harris or any other candidate. They have, however, expressed gratitude for Biden’s service.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead,” Obama stated. “But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
U.S. Senator Peter Welch, the first Democratic senator to call for Biden to drop his reelection bid, emphasized the need for an open nomination process.
He stated that; “The Democrats should have an open process so that whoever our nominee is, including Kamala, has the strength of having a process that shows the consensus position of the party,” Welch stated. “The debate in the Democratic Party is who can carry on the legacy of President Biden and defeat Trump.”
One Democratic donor suggested a ticket with Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her vice president to secure votes in Pennsylvania. However, it remains unclear whom Harris would choose as her running mate if she secures the nomination.
Despite expressing gratitude for Biden’s leadership, Shapiro has not endorsed Harris. This leaves the question of Harris’s vice-presidential pick open as the Democratic Party moves towards finalizing its nominee.
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