US Vice President Kamala Harris officially secured the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, AP News reports.
This comes after President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance in June, which led to intraparty conflict about his reelection viability and his eventual withdrawal from the race. Harris swiftly secured the required delegate support for the nomination within 32 hours of Biden’s withdrawal. Harris’ nomination was confirmed after a five-day online vote by Democratic National Convention delegates, with 99% of ballots cast in her favor.
Harris, daughter to immigrant parents from India and Jamaica, has a history of rising through the political ranks, from prosecutor to California attorney general, to US senator, and now vice president. Her first presidential campaign in 2020 was unsuccessful, but she was selected as Biden’s running mate in 2020. Her vice presidency faced challenges, particularly with migration issues and maintaining visibility.
