US Presidential Election 2024: Kamala Harris leads the field as Democrats rally behind her

New Delhi: The prospects of US Vice-President Kamala Harris being named as her party's presidential candidate brightened on Monday, as senior Democrats - including those perceived as potential rivals - rallied behind her. A day earlier, President Joe Biden bowed out of the contest and endorsed her for the election to the top post. Harris also received "enthusiastic support" from former speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as well as Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts - both powerful Democrat leaders.

Biden's endorsement, as well as the paucity of time before the November 5 presidential election, tilted the scales in favour of the Indian-origin vice-president, said experts tracking developments.

Harris, as vice-president, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2021, during his visit to the US, and recently spoke with leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi.


The first woman and first person of colour to hold the US vice-president's post, she is the frontrunner for being named the Democratic Party nominee at its convention, to be held during August 19-22 in Chicago, said experts.

Hitting the Ground Running
Notably, however, Harris is yet to get support from former president Barack Obama.

In a post on X, she wrote, "On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. I am honoured to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."

Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison issued a statement shortly after Biden dropped out of the race, saying the Democrats would "undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united party, with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November."

A Washington Post article said, "If a virtual roll call doesn't show a clear majority backing Harris, the party is likely to hold a mini-primary at the convention. The convention may also serve as the venue for the formal announcement of a new vice-presidential nominee."

The convention is expected to be attended by 50,000 people.

Meanwhile, Harris' campaign team kickstarted its preparations, while the Biden-Harris campaign on Sunday formally amended filings with the Federal Election Commission, saying it was renaming its principal committee 'Harris for President,' CNN reported. The name of the committee is "different than previously reported," it said.

"Vice-President Harris is now a candidate for United States President in the 2024 election and will henceforth be conducting campaign activities only in pursuit of that office," the principal committee of the Biden-Harris campaign said in a letter filed with the commission.

Support for Harris came almost immediately from the Democratic Party brass, as well as those seen as potential rivals for the nomination, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Democratic Senate candidates, including Andy Kim of New Jersey, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and incumbent Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin were among those to rally behind Harris.