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In a decisive vote by party delegates, US Vice-President Kamala Harris has clinched the Democratic presidential nomination.
Speaking by phone, Ms. Harris expressed her honor at becoming the presumptive nominee as the virtual roll call continues ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago later this month.
Ms. Harris makes history as the first Black woman and first South Asian woman to become the presidential standard-bearer for a major US political party. If she defeats Republican nominee Donald Trump in November, she will be America’s first female president.
Running unopposed in the virtual roll call after President Joe Biden stepped aside last month and endorsed her, Ms. Harris received support from several potential rivals who followed Biden’s lead. By Friday afternoon, Ms. Harris secured the nomination with the backing of 2,350 delegates, surpassing the required threshold.
“We believe in the promise of America and that’s what this campaign is about,” Ms. Harris stated in her brief remarks, acknowledging the challenging road ahead but expressing determination to succeed.
In total, Democrats have reported that 3,923 delegates, or 99% of participants, plan to vote for her. The roll call, which began on Thursday, will conclude on Monday.
Traditionally, presidential and vice-presidential nominees are announced at party conventions, but the timing of the 2024 DNC risks conflicting with state ballot access laws. At 59, Harris, born in Oakland, California, is the first Democratic nominee from a western state in nearly 200 years of the party’s history. Her career spans roles as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, and US senator.
Before stepping aside, Mr. Biden had secured the Democratic primary easily, despite concerns about his age. Garnering support from 99% of pledged DNC delegates, Biden faced growing pressure to withdraw following a poor debate performance against Trump in June.
The decision to hold a virtual nominating process ahead of the 19-22 August convention was initially made while Biden was the presumptive candidate, in response to Ohio’s ballot access rules. These rules require candidates for the November ballot to be formally selected 90 days before the election, by 7 August.
Although Republican leaders in Ohio later created an exemption, Democrats opted for an early roll call to avoid ballot access issues.
Delegates are not required to vote on the vice-presidential pick, and Ms. Harris is expected to announce her running mate by Monday.
