Kamala Harris launches presidential bid after winning support from top Democrats

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris swiftly launched her 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, seeking support from fellow Democrats with President Joe Biden’s endorsement after he withdrew from the race due to concerns about his age and health.

Campaign officials and allies made hundreds of calls on Harris’s behalf, urging delegates to the Democratic Party convention next month to support her nomination for the 5 November election against Republican Donald Trump.

Multiple sources reported that the calls, aimed at deterring potential Democratic challengers, began almost immediately after the 81-year-old Biden abandoned his re-election bid.

Democratic state party chairs backed Harris in a conference call, according to several participants.

Harris, 59, spoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential vice presidential running mate, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Congressional Black Caucus chair Representative Steven Horsford, a source familiar with the matter said.

As the first woman of Black and Asian-American descent to run for president, Harris would present a stark contrast to Trump, 78, offering a significant generational and cultural difference.

Biden, the oldest person ever to have held the Oval Office, said he would remain in the presidency until his term ends on 20 January 2025, while endorsing Harris to run for president in his place.

The White House announced that Harris would deliver remarks on Monday at an event celebrating NCAA 2023-24 college championship teams.

Biden’s withdrawal leaves his replacement with less than four months to wage a campaign. Prominent Democrats, including potential Harris challengers such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, promptly backed the vice president.

“My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump.”

Despite early support for Harris, speculation about an open convention when Democrats gather in Chicago from 19-22 August persisted.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama did not announce endorsements, although both praised Biden.

With Democrats entering uncharted territory, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said the party would soon announce the next steps in its nomination process.

Harris, a former attorney general of California and former U.S. senator, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2020.

She is expected to largely maintain Biden’s foreign policy stance on issues such as China, Iran and Ukraine, but could adopt a firmer position with Israel over the Gaza conflict if she secures the Democratic ticket and wins the November election.

Supporters argue Harris would energise voters, consolidate Black support and bring robust debating skills to challenge the former president politically.

However, some Democrats expressed concerns about a Harris candidacy, partly due to the long history of racial and gender discrimination in the United States.

Polling indicates that Harris performs similarly to Biden against Trump. In a head-to-head match-up, Harris and Trump were tied with 44% support each in a 15-16 July Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted immediately after the 13 July assassination attempt on Trump.

Biden’s campaign had $95 million on hand at the end of June, according to a Federal Election Commission filing. Campaign finance law experts disagree on how easily that money could be transferred to a Harris-led campaign.

Small-dollar donors raised more than $46.7 million on ActBlue in the first five hours of Harris’s presidential campaign, the fundraising platform reported on X on Sunday.