With President Joe Biden formally stepping down from his re-election bid and passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party is now poised to potentially make history once again. Biden threw his support behind Harris, lauding her as the right successor. "Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump," Biden's endorsement rang out on social media platform X. As AP News acknowledges, Harris, not alien to breaking new ground, could soon find herself climbing yet another peak as the first female president of the United States and the second Black person to hold the position if she can secure her party's nomination and win the presidency.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Despite the presidential nod from Biden, some have suggested a quick "mini primary" to weigh in other potential candidates before the Democrats convene in Chicago next month. However, a recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job in the top slot. Meanwhile, across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom, despite having the sheen of a presidential contender, has declared he would not challenge Harris. "Yes," Newsom affirmed, signaling his continued support to Harris and by association to Biden, in an event earlier this month reported by The San Francisco Chronicle. Newsom's alignment with Biden's circle at crucial junctures in the presidency underscores his loyalty to the current administration.
The upcoming Democratic National Convention will mark a defining moment for the party as it hasn’t faced a scenario quite like this since 1972. With Biden’s endorsement of Harris just after announcing his withdrawal, a carve-out path seems laid for Harris, but the 3,896 pledged Biden delegates are technically free to choose their candidate. Shay Franco-Clausen, a delegate from the Bay Area, expressed firm support for Harris, “I’m 100%” going to cast my vote in support of the vice president at the convention," she told The San Francisco Chronicle. Yet, Steve Maviglio, a Democratic strategist, noted before Biden's exit that with the president's endorsement, "The potential for a fumble is substantial."
Harris' journey has been a relentless series of firsts – the first woman to serve as San Francisco district attorney, the first as California attorney general, and the first of South Asian descent as vice president. Her candidacy in the 2020 election brought a dose of symbolism, with Biden himself recognizing the latent potential in her nomination for “little Black and brown girls” who may see themselves as "the stuff of presidents and vice presidents." This sentiment was captured in a report by The Los Angeles Times. Nevertheless, as Harris gears to potentially lead the Democratic ticket into the presidential race, it is her policy and record that will be at the frontline of the Democratic bid to hold onto the White House.
