Backed by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris moves to lock up White House bid

Vice President KamalaHarriswasted no time launching her 2024 presidential campaign, seeking the support of fellow Democrats with the backing of President JoeBiden after he pulled out of the race amid concerns about his age and health.

Her campaign officials and allies madehundreds of callson behalf ofHarrison Sunday, urging delegates to the Democratic Party convention next month to join in nominating her for president in theNovember 5 electionagainstRepublican Donald Trump.

Multiple sources said the calls, aimed at blocking would-be Democratic challengers, began almost immediately after the 81-year-oldBiden abandoned the race.

At the same time, Democratic state party chairs backedHarrisin a phone call, several participants said.

Harrisspoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro,a potential vice presidential running mate,HouseDemocratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Congressional Black Caucus chair Representative Steven Horsford, said a source familiar with the matter.

Harris, a 59-year-old woman who is Black and Asian-American, would fashionan entirely new dynamicwith Trump, 78, offering a vivid generational and cultural split-screen.

The United States has yet to elect a woman president in its 248-year history.

“Harriswill be easier to beat than JoeBiden would have been,” Trump asserted on CNN shortly afterBiden’s announcement.

Read:After attempt on his life, Trump sees moment for unity

Biden, the oldest person ever to have occupied the Oval Office, said he would remain in the presidency until his term ends on Jan. 20, 2025, while endorsingHarristo run for president in his place.

TheWhiteHousesaidHarriswould deliver remarks on the South Lawn at 11.30 am ET (1530 GMT on Monday at an event celebrating the NCAA 2023-24 college championship teams.

Facing mounting questions about his mental acuity,Biden is the first sitting president to giveuphis party’s nomination for reelection since President Lyndon B. Johnson during the Vietnam War in March 1968.

Biden’s withdrawal leaves his replacement with less than four months to wage a campaign. Prominent Democrats, including potentialHarrischallengers such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, immediately backed the vice president.

“My intention is to earn and win this nomination,”Harrissaid in a statement. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump.”

Despite the early show of support forHarris, talk of an open convention when Democrats gather in Chicago Aug. 19-22 was not totally silenced.

FormerHouseSpeaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obamadid not announce endorsements, although both praisedBiden.

Two other potential challengers – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear – made no mention of the vice president in their statements.

With Democrats wading into uncharted territory, Democratic National Committee Chair JaimeHarrison said the party would soon announce the next steps in its nomination process.

What is certain is thatBiden’s withdrawal has again reshaped aWhiteHousecontest shaken repeatedly during the last month.

On June 27,Biden’s poor performance in a debate with Trump led many Democrats to urge him to drop out. Then on July 13, a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Trump.

And last week Trump named hardline Republican U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, 39, to serve as his vice presidential running mate.

Abortion rights leader

A former attorney general of California and former USsenator,Harrisran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2020.

Biden won the nomination, pickedHarristo be his vice president, and went on to beat Trump.

Harrishas been outspoken on abortion rights, an issue that resonates with younger voters and progressives.

She is expected to stick largely toBiden’s foreign policy playbook on such issues as China, Iran and Ukraine,but could strike a tougher tone with Israelover the Gaza war if she tops the Democratic ticket and wins the November election.

Proponents argue she would energize those voters, consolidate Black support and bring sharp debating skills to prosecute the political case against the former president.

But some Democrats were concerned about aHarriscandidacy, in part because of the weight ofa long history of racial and gender discriminationin the United States.

Polling shows thatHarrisperforms no better statistically thanBiden had done against Trump.

In a head-to-head match-up,Harrisand Trump were tied with 44% support each in a July 15-16 Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted immediately after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump.

Trump ledBiden 43% to 41% in that same poll, though the 2 percentage point difference was not meaningful considering the poll’s 3-point margin of error.

Biden’s campaign had$95 millionon hand at the end of June, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission. Campaign finance law expertsdisagreeon how easily that money could be shifted to aHarris-led campaign.

Small-dollar donors raised more than $46.7 million on ActBlue in the first five hours ofHarris’ presidential campaign, the fundraising platform said on X on Sunday.

Last-minute shift

Biden, who said he would address the nation this week, has not been seen in public since testing positive for COVID-19 last week. He was isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,”Biden wrote on X.

Congressional Republicans argued on Sunday thatBiden should resign as president immediately, which would turn theWhiteHouseover toHarrisand putHouseof Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, next in line in succession.

“If he’s incapable of running for president, how is he capable of governing right now? I mean, there is five months left in this administration. It’s a real concern, and it’s a danger to the country,” Johnson told CNN on Sunday beforeBiden’s announcement.

During the 2020 campaign,Biden described himself as a bridge to the next generation. Some interpreted that to mean he would serve one term, a transitional figure who beat Trump and brought his party back to power.

ButBiden decided to seek reelection, believing he could beat Trump again. His campaign was already struggling and ran into deep trouble after his debate performance raised serious concerns about his ability to win the election or stay on as president for another four years.