The Democratic presidential campaign trail is beginning to coalesce around a single candidate as lawmakers, state delegations, and former staffers have begun to endorse California Senator Kamala Harris. On Monday, the Harris campaign formally endorsed more than 1,009 delegates nationwide, including dozens of current or former Democratic governors and the top Democratic leaders in Congress, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pramila Jayapal. The list also includes former President Joe Biden, who endorsed her Sunday night. Several prominent donors told CNN they feel “reinvigorated” and ready to open their checkbooks after Biden’s decision, which paved the way for Harris’ bid to replace him at the top of the ticket.
Even before Biden’s surprise announcement to bow out of the race, her team had landed on a plan to look past whomever Trump picks for his running mate and instead focus on making the case that Harris was the best choice to lead the party in its fight against the GOP.
Democrats quickly praised Harris as a strong leader and an effective prosecutor who would be a powerful partner in the White House. However, critics have panned her for being incompetent in handling complex issues, particularly immigration issues. Republicans were also quick to begin privately ramping up and testing attacks against her, especially those related to her role as California’s attorney general and her criminal prosecutor record.
In a speech on Tuesday, Harris sought to address those criticisms by emphasizing her background as a prosecutor and her experience with immigration policy. She also promised to “rewrite the script” for the Democratic nomination, saying the process should be fair and transparent.
It remains to be seen if Harris can clinch the nomination on the first ballot. The convention will vote to choose its nominee in a series of rounds, and if she doesn’t make it on the first ballot, delegates could choose someone else after some intense lobbying by candidates and parties.
One potential obstacle for Harris may be that the party has a rule requiring that delegates who are elected officials or party leaders can’t be freed to vote for another candidate on the first ballot. But the convention’s rules committee could change that.
In a statement late Monday, the Democratic National Committee said it was moving to ensure Harris has the delegates needed to become the Democratic presidential nominee. It is urging state delegations to endorse her, which will be used to calculate the number of votes she needs in the convention’s final round. The committee is requesting the endorsements by Aug. 7 to avoid legal risks related to ballot deadlines for the November election. It will also use the endorsements to set a date for the final vote.