No other candidate contested Harris for the nomination.
Washington: Vice President Kamala Harris has garnered the necessary delegate votes to be nominated as her party’s presidential candidate, announced Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison on Friday. This declaration came prior to the conclusion of the online voting process on Monday, showcasing the rapid pace of a campaign keen to sustain its momentum following President Joe Biden’s cessation of his reelection campaign and subsequent endorsement of Harris as his successor just under two weeks ago.
Harris is set to become the first woman of color to lead a major party’s ticket, and during a call with supporters, she expressed she is “honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee.” “It won’t be easy, but we’re going to accomplish this,” she continued. “As your prospective president, I am confident that we are ready for this challenge.”
Harrison affirmed that Democrats “will unite in support of Vice President Kamala Harris to showcase our party’s unity” at their upcoming convention in Chicago. The Democratic National Committee withheld specific details of the delegate vote count, such as totals or state-by-state breakdowns, during a virtual event reminiscent of a telethon, where campaign officials monitored a delegate-counting procedure with a predictable outcome.
No other candidate contested Harris for the nomination, and she quickly consolidated Democratic support following Biden’s endorsement.
Democrats are still set to conduct a state-by-state roll call at the party’s convention, which is the conventional method of selecting a nominee. However, this will be solely ceremonial due to the online voting process. As Harris gears up to confront Republican nominee Donald Trump, her campaign is undergoing a reorganization of its senior staff and enlisting a group of seasoned veterans from President Barack Obama’s successful campaigns.
David Plouffe is set to become a senior adviser, concentrating on Harris’ strategy to secure the 270 Electoral College votes required for election victory. He will relinquish his consulting role with TikTok and cease hosting a podcast with Kellyanne Conway, the ex-Trump campaign manager, to assume this position, as per someone with knowledge of his plans.
Furthermore, Stephanie Cutter will provide guidance on messaging and strategy. Mitch Stewart is appointed as a senior adviser for key states. Brian Nelson, formerly an undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department, has joined the campaign to offer policy advice to Harris.
Despite new additions, many facets of the campaign remain unchanged from Biden’s candidacy. Jen O’Malley Dillon continues as chairwoman, overseeing the staff structure. Other senior roles that remain the same include Julie Chavez Rodriguez as campaign manager, Quentin Fulks as principal deputy campaign manager, and Michael Tyler as communications director.
Sheila Nix will retain her position as senior adviser and chief of staff for Harris’ campaign. Marcia Fudge, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and recent addition as campaign co-chair, will broaden her role to include outreach and strategy. Brian Fallon, previously the communications director for Harris’ campaign while Biden was a candidate, will assume the role of senior adviser for communications.
Elizabeth Allen, who served as an undersecretary at the State Department, has been appointed chief of staff for Harris’ yet-to-be-determined running mate. Harris plans to conduct interviews with potential candidates over the weekend. Democratic officials have indicated that the expedited roll call is due to an August 7 deadline, which is crucial for securing the candidates’ placement on the Ohio ballot.
(With AP inputs)