US Vice-President Kamala Harris has made history by clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first black woman and first South Asian woman to do so for a major US political party. In a virtual roll call ahead of the Democratic National Convention, Harris secured the support of 2,350 delegates, surpassing the threshold required for the nomination.
Harris, who ran unopposed after President Joe Biden endorsed her and several potential rivals followed suit, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to be the presumptive nominee. If she defeats Republican nominee Donald Trump in November, she would become America’s first female president.
The decision to hold a virtual nominating process was made in response to state ballot access laws, with Ohio requiring candidates to be formally selected 90 days before the election. The DNC’s late date risked falling afoul of this rule, prompting the early roll call to ensure the party’s candidates would not be excluded from the ballot.
Despite criticism from the Trump campaign and some Republicans, who have referred to the substitution of Biden with Harris as a “coup,” Harris has been actively campaigning against Trump in multiple rallies and fundraisers across battleground states. The campaign recently announced a record-breaking fundraising haul of over $310 million in July, surpassing the Trump campaign’s fundraising efforts.
As Harris prepares to name her running mate by Monday, the stage is set for a historic election that could see the first female president in American history. With strong support from delegates and a formidable campaign war chest, Harris is poised to make a significant impact in the upcoming election.
