Vice President Kamala Harris has gained the support of a sufficient number of Democratic delegates to become her party's nominee to run against Republican Donald Trump, according to multiple surveys conducted by several outlets after President Joe Biden announced his decision not to seek reelection.
According to calculations by CNN and other media outlets, Harris has gained the support of delegates from enough states to surpass the 1,976 pledged delegates required to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination at next month's convention in Chicago. The news comes less than a day after President Joe Biden made a dramatic exit from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Harris as he dropped out.
Harris Secures Democrats' Confidence
Up to this point, there has been no opposition within the Democratic Party to Harris leading the ticket. Marianne Williamson, the self-help author who ran against Biden in the primaries earlier this year, expressed her desire for an open convention.
However, since most delegates have pledged their support to Harris, it is improbable that a challenger would gain significant momentum.
A survey by the Associated Press also shows Harris has enough support of her party to run against Trump.
However, the Associated Press has not yet declared Harris the presumptive nominee. This is because convention delegates remain free to vote for any candidate they prefer at the convention in August or during a virtual roll call before the gathering in Chicago.
The AP survey merely suggests that Harris has the support of more than the 1,976 delegates required to win on the first ballot. However, the survey also reveals that she is overwhelmingly favored by her party to succeed Biden as the head of the ticket, as no delegate contacted by AP mentioned any other candidate.
By Monday night, Harris had secured the backing of at least 2,214 delegates, according to the AP count, which is enough to win the nomination on the first ballot.
Other Contenders Unlikely to Beat Harris
Outgoing West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin briefly considered entering the race on Sunday but changed his mind by Monday. Manchin had left the Democratic Party in May and re-registered as an independent while finishing his last eight months in Congress.
After Biden withdrew from the race—and because he did so before the roll call vote—his delegates were free to support any candidate they chose.
The endorsement from California's delegation, Harris' home state, gave her the mathematical majority needed on Monday night.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the search for a vice-presidential candidate had already begun, with several Democrats from swing states and the Midwest being considered.
The list includes Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Harris officially took over what was previously the Biden-Harris campaign earlier on Monday, marked by a visit to the campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
During the visit, President Biden broke his silence, calling in to speak with campaign staff about his remarkable decision to hand over the reins to his vice president.
Speaking in a scratchy voice from Covid isolation at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the 81-year-old Biden addressed Harris, saying, "I'm watching you, kid."
He promised to remain involved in the reelection campaign and said he would continue to make appearances on the campaign trail. He conveyed this to his staff, who now work for Harris, during a loudspeaker call.
