Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough delegates on Friday to become the Democratic nominee through a virtual roll call vote.
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison shared the news Friday, saying that enough delegates had voted for Harris in the Democrats‘ virtual vote for the vice president to become the nominee.
She’ll formally accept the nomination sometime next week after the voting period closes on August 5.
‘In the span of just a few weeks, Vice President Kamala Harris continues to break records – and today is no different. With historic momentum and a groundswell of support, Vice President Harris has officially met the threshold, securing a majority of the delegates she needs to receive the Democratic nomination on Monday,’ Harrison said.
Democrats initially planned to hold a virtual roll call vote because some states’ balloting deadlines were before the Chicago convention, which will be held from August 19 through 22.
Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough delegates to become the Democratic nominee in a virtual roll call vote Friday
She’s one step closer to officially becoming former President Donald Trump’s challenger. She’ll accept the nomination sometime next week after virtual voting closes
When President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday July 21 he encouraged the delegates he won in the Democratic primaries to back Harris, who he endorsed.
Delegates, however, could have chosen to support a different candidate, but the party quickly got in line.
By Monday July 22 enough delegates had pledged their support for Harris for her to be a shoe-in for the nomination.
No other Democrats tried to contest her for the nomination.
Self-help guru Marianne Williamson on Monday said she failed to meet the deadline to challenge Harris, effectively ending her campaign.
‘We did everything possible to stand for a blitz primary, an open convention and so forth. Yet the way things worked there truly was no way, and all we could have done is create noise,’ she posted on X.
Williamson had initially dropped out of the race after a disappointing performance in Nevada’s primary.
She then un-suspended her campaign in late February after coming in third place in Michigan’s Democratic primary, behind the option of ‘uncommitted,’ which voters chose to register their disdain with Biden’s Israel policy amid the war in Gaza.
Biden had also been challenged by Rep. Dean Phillips, who argued that the president was too old to run for a second term and should make way for younger blood – something he ultimately did.
Phillips’ campaign didn’t get much traction and he pulled out after the early March Super Tuesday races.
Biden bowed out of the race after key Democrats pressured him to exit after his disastrous late June debate performance against Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
During the debate, Biden mumbled, confused words and stared off into space, prompting concerns that he was suffering from something like Parkinson’s disease.
Biden’s White House physician denied these claims, but the damage had been done.
