Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough delegate votes on Friday through the virtual roll call process to officially become the Democratic nominee. The final deadline for Democratic National Convention (DNC) delegates to submit their electronic ballots is Monday, but by Friday afternoon, Harris had already received the majority support needed.
“I am so proud to confirm that Vice President Harris has earned more than a majority of votes from all convention delegates and will be the nominee of the Democratic Party following the close of voting on Monday,” DNC chair Jaime Harrison announced in a call.
“The outpouring of support we have witnessed for the Vice President has been unprecedented. We knew your ballots would come back quickly,” he added.
Harris joined the celebration remotely from Delaware headquarters, stating she will officially accept the nomination after the Monday deadline passes. “Of course, I will officially accept your nomination next week once the virtual voting period is closed, but already I’m happy to know that we have enough delegates to secure the nomination. And later this month, we will gather in Chicago, united as one party where we’re going to have an opportunity to celebrate this historic moment together,” Harris said.
She is set to become the first woman of color to lead a major party’s presidential ticket.
The DNC decided to use a virtual roll call for the nomination process to avoid potential Republican challenges regarding state ballot deadlines. For example, Ohio has an August 7 deadline for the presidential nominee to be included on the ballot, while the DNC convention, where candidates are typically sworn in, begins on August 19.
Starting Tuesday, Harris will embark on a multi-state campaign tour with her yet-to-be-announced running mate, visiting several key battleground states. She plans to attend the DNC convention mid-month to officially accept the nomination in person.
Harris’ rise to the top of the ticket is unprecedented, as she achieved the nomination without winning any Democratic primary elections. She previously ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020 but withdrew before the Iowa caucuses.
{Matzav.com}