US Vice President Kamala Harris will campaign for the first time in the critical state of Wisconsin after enough Democratic delegates pledged to support her, clearing the path to the nomination, according to Reuters.
Harris became the party’s presumptive nominee after President Joe Biden abandoned his campaign on Sunday amid party divisions. Internal polls also showed his support falling in his battle with Republican rival Donald Trump.
Less than 36 hours after Biden endorsed Harris, she secured the nomination Monday night with the pledged support of a majority of the party’s delegates.
Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee. I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.
An informal Associated Press poll of delegates showed Harris having more than 2,500 delegates, well above the 1976 needed to win the vote in the coming weeks. 54 delegates indicated they remained undecided.
The trip to Wisconsin gives Harris, a 59-year-old former California prosecutor, another opportunity to restart the Democratic campaign and prove she is in a prime position to defeat Trump. Harris is scheduled to speak at a political event in Milwaukee at 1:05 p.m. CDT (18:05 GMT).
So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.
Fundraising issue
Harris also received campaign donations. Her election office stated on Monday that she raised $81 million since Biden stepped down on Sunday. That is nearly equal to the $95 million Biden’s campaign had on hand at the end of June.
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies have tried to hold Harris to some of Biden’s most unpopular policies. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung stated:
Kamala Harris’ dismal record is one of complete failure and utter incompetence. Her policies are Biden’s policies, and vice versa.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said Harris, the first Black American and the first South Asian American elected vice president, would also help return important Black voters.
Many of them didn’t come along because they were distracted by his [Biden’s] age, distracted by his appearance.
Replacing Biden at the top of the ticket also intensified speculation about who might join Harris as a vice presidential candidate. The short list of people being discussed allegedly includes Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
