Nancy Pelosi, the prior Speaker of the US House of Representatives, has added her support to Kamala Harris, edging the vice-president closer to securing the nomination of the Democratic Party for the presidency. Pelosi, who is known for her significant role within the Democratic Party and is credited with encouraging President Biden to step down, announced her endorsement for Harris saying she offered it “with immense pride and limitless excitement for the future of our nation.” She stated her support extended to personal, political, and official levels.
The backing from Pelosi is yet another boost for Harris, with a string of prominent Democrats, as well as vital funding sources, rallying behind her White House bid. Following his decision to withdraw from the election, President Biden also endorsed Harris. Former President Barack Obama remained among the few on Monday who had not as yet offered endorsement to Harris.
On Monday, three notable Democratic governors, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, all known as potential successors to Biden, threw their support behind Harris as well. Bill and Hillary Clinton, California governor Gavin Newsom, and other significant leaders of the party had previously stated their support.
Kicking off her campaign with a bang, Harris announced on platform X that she was visiting Biden’s headquarters in Delaware on the first day of her campaign. She seized an already planned White House event to laud Biden’s ‘legacy of accomplishment’ as president, describing it as “unrivalled in modern history”.
Harris’ campaign has adopted the resources and structure of the former Biden campaign, and raised almost $50 million from small donors since the President pulled out of the race, increasing her resources for the electoral race. Beshear praised Harris for her intelligence, strength, and kindness, noting the stark contrast between her and the rest of the field. Furthermore, Harris secured endorsements from Maryland governor Wes Moore and Illinois senator Dick Durbin, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the upper house of Congress.
The unwavering support from leading Democrats could aid the party in evading a possible disorganised “open convention”, scheduled for next month in Chicago, where the official presidential candidate selection takes place.
On Monday morning, Joe Manchin, a moderate senator from West Virginia, squashed the rumours of considering a challenge against Ms Harris whilst speaking to CBS News, stating he won’t be participating in the presidential race. However, he urged the Democratic party to conduct a “mini primary” to identify the “most potent candidate”, rather than hastily supporting Ms Harris.
Michael Bloomberg, a donator to the Biden campaign and the previous New York Republican Mayor, commented that the next four weeks leading up to the gathering of Democrats in Chicago provided ample time for the party members to gauge the voters’ mood, particularly in the key battleground states. He reflected, “The decision is too critical to haste, for the consequences of losing the election are too great.”
On Sunday, Mr Biden indicated his decision to withdraw after more than three weeks of debates within the Democratic Party, questioning whether the 81-year-old president could efficiently perform his duties, following a poor debate performance against his Republican adversary, Donald Trump, the previous month. Mr Biden promptly recommended Ms Harris, a 59-year-old former prosecutor and erstwhile US Senator, as his successor hence, providing her with a considerable lead in the race for the Democratic nomination.
Ms Harris expressed her gratitude for his endorsement, stating that she’s focused on “earning and gaining this nomination”. Mr Newsom backed Ms Harris late on Sunday, who had been previously considered a potential opponent to Mr Trump. He applauded her for being “brave” and “persistent”, proclaiming there’s nobody “more suitable to try the case against Donald Trump”.
The capital is filled with conjecture regarding who Ms Harris may choose as her running mate if she wins the nomination. Some of the possibilities include a few well-liked Democratic governors, such as Mr Beshear and Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania. A source close to the events of Sunday claimed that Ms Harris spent over 10 hours making calls to over 100 party officials, congress members, governors, leaders in the labour sector, and civil rights and advocacy organisations. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024.