Harris says she looks forward to accepting Democrats' nomination soon
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Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a White House event on Monday. Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris said late Monday she's "proud to have secured the broad support needed" to become the Democratic Party's presidential nominee — one day after President Biden suspended his re-election campaign and endorsed her.
The big picture: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made a motion at a virtual meeting of California's delegates in Harris' home state to endorse the vice president, putting her campaign over the top, a Pelosi spokesperson told Axios' Andrew Solender.
- An AP survey of Democratic delegates earlier in the evening showed Harris had surpassed the 1,976 Democratic delegates needed to clinch the Democrats' presidential nomination.
- Although the delegates backing Harris in the survey aren't bound to her, it indicates that she should easily secure the party's nomination.
What she's saying: Harris noted in an emailed statement that when she announced her campaign for president, it was her intention to "earn" the nomination.
- "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," she said.
- "I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon. I am grateful to President Biden and everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me, and I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people," Harris said.
Zoom in: Harris took aim at former President Trump as she sought to underscore policy differences with the Republican presidential nominee on reproductive rights.
- "This election will present a clear choice between two different visions. Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights," Harris said.
- "I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead," she added.
- "Over the next few months, I will be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything that is on the line. I fully intend to unite our party, unite our nation, and defeat Donald Trump in November."
Zoom out: Donors' cash has been flowing into the Harris campaign, which raised $81 million in the first 24 hours of her candidacy — a new presidential donation record.
- However, Harris said at her campaign's Wilmington, Delaware, headquarters on Monday that with "106 days until Election Day ... we have some hard work to do."
What we're watching: The Democratic National Committee has confirmed it will hold a "virtual roll call" to select its party's presidential nominee before Aug. 7 — and Axios' Hans Nichols notes that this timeline will make it hard for anyone other than Harris to lead the party's ticket.
More from Axios...
- What the polls say about a Trump-Harris matchup
- Where VP Kamala Harris stands on hot-button issues
- Financial markets shrug off potential Harris run for now
- Biden: "It was the right thing to do" in suspending campaign, endorsing Harris
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
