Kamala Harris Now Democratic Presidential Candidate After Biden Steps Down
Rumors had been circulating for weeks that President Joe Biden might step down from his party’s nomination after a disastrous debate performance, but his post on X just before 2 p.m. this past Sunday still shocked the world.
Within a day, the Democratic Party rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris, all but cementing her status as their presidential nominee. The GOP wasted no time in formulating their strategies to counter this new development. Biden’s decision came amidst growing calls from within his own party to step aside, and he heeded those voices, throwing his support behind Harris.
Democratic advocacy groups and organizers responded swiftly and powerfully. They rallied around Harris with unprecedented vigor and with the party’s backbone solidly behind her, Harris is set to take on Donald Trump in what promises to be a historic showdown.
In a letter addressed to Americans, Biden, 81, expressed his belief that stepping down was in the best interest of both his party and the country, allowing him to focus on his presidential duties for the remainder of his term. This selfless move has reignited the Democratic fundraising machine, which had been sputtering since his debate performance.
Kamala Harris’s campaign wasted no time announcing a record-breaking fundraising haul: $81 million in just 24 hours. This jaw-dropping figure came from hundreds of thousands of donors, many contributing for the first time. It’s a record for any candidate ever in a single day. Grassroots donations alone accounted for $49.6 million of this total. The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue saw $67 million processed on Sunday alone, marking its best day since 2020.
Trump, fresh off his formal nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he announced Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate, now faces the formidable challenge of squaring off against Harris. Trump, predictably, has already unleashed his arsenal of attacks on Harris, recycling his old nickname for her, “Laffin’ Kamala Harris.” But he might want to tread carefully. There’s a bit of irony here, considering a $5,000 check he wrote to her in 2011 when she was the California Attorney General.
The Democratic National Convention, set to begin in Chicago next month, will undoubtedly be the stage where Harris’s campaign officially kicks off in earnest.
Vice President Kamala Harris held calls Sunday with at least four Democratic governors who have been mentioned as potential running mates in her likely race against former President Donald Trump. According to people familiar with the calls, Harris held separate calls with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
With Trump now facing a younger Democratic candidate, the tables could turn on him regarding issues of age and mental agility, topics he often evaded when Biden was his opponent. Biden’s exit reshuffles the GOP’s calculations, especially with the prospect of a Harris vs. Trump debate looming in September – assuming she secures the nomination.
In this high-stakes political chess game, Harris has emerged as a powerful contender, backed by a united Democratic Party and a revitalized fundraising engine. As we watch Trump revamp his campaign and Harris begin hers, one thing is clear: Kamala Harris is ready to take on the challenge and make history.
