In an unprecedented and historic move, President Joe Biden has stepped down, endorsing Kamala Harris for the presidency. In a groundbreaking development, a USA TODAY count of delegates has confirmed that the 59-year-old Vice President Harris has secured endorsements exceeding the 1,976 delegates required to clinch the Democratic Party’s nomination in the first round of voting.
Out of the 3,936 Democratic delegates in total, which include former presidents, state and local party leaders, members of Congress, and governors, only about half have the privilege to vote in the first round. On Monday evening, California’s delegates played a crucial role by unanimously backing the state’s former U.S. Senator, Kamala Harris, for president. The vote was called by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, marking a significant moment in Harris’s campaign.
“Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top,” Harris said in a late-night statement. “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”
The final decision will rest with the delegates to pick the nominee. On Monday, the Democratic Party outlined plans to hold a virtual vote to select a nominee before August 7, well ahead of the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago. While other candidates may still put their names forward for consideration, any challenge is expected to be short-lived if Harris has already secured the necessary votes. Harris has already garnered substantial support from governors, Capitol Hill Democrats, and other key figures who would vote in a second round.
Kamala Harris’s historic nomination not only marks a significant milestone in her political career but also reflects a transformative moment in American politics as she prepares to formally accept the Democratic Party’s nomination.
