US Vice President Kamala Harris has officially secured the Democratic nomination for the 2024 presidential election, marking a significant milestone in American political history. The Washington Post reports that Harris won a majority of delegates’ votes, effectively guaranteeing her position as the party’s presidential nominee. This announcement comes after the withdrawal of the former Democratic candidate and concludes an extraordinary nomination process.
Harris expressed her honor in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I am honored to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I will officially accept the nomination next week. This campaign is about people coming together, fueled by love of country, to fight for the best of who we are.”
President Joe Biden, who previously chose Harris as his vice president, voiced his pride in the decision. He tweeted, “One of the best decisions I’ve made was picking @KamalaHarris as my vice president. Now that she will be our party’s nominee, I couldn’t be prouder.”
Harris’s nomination is a historical achievement, making her the first woman of color to lead a major party’s presidential ticket. This landmark moment carries significant weight in a nation historically divided by racial and gender issues. The official announcement was made by Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, who confirmed that Harris reached the required threshold just a day after online voting commenced.
Harris initially declared her candidacy on July 27, assuring that her people-powered campaign would be victorious in November. Her nomination was further solidified when over 3,900 delegates petitioned to place her on the ballot, according to the Democratic National Committee.
Harris’s nomination places her as only the second person of color to lead a major presidential ticket in the United States’ nearly 250-year history, following Barack Obama in 2008. As a Black and Indian American woman, Harris has recently faced criticism from former President Trump, who baselessly claimed she once downplayed her Black heritage. Her nomination also marks her as the second woman to be a major-party nominee for president, following Hillary Clinton in 2016. Clinton’s unexpected loss to Trump in 2016 shocked Democrats and significantly altered the political landscape.
Harris’s journey to the Democratic nomination is a testament to her resilience and determination, paving the way for a new era of representation in American politics.
