BREAKING: Joe Biden Announces Kamala Harris as His Running Mate
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Former Vice President and current Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced that California Senator Kamala Harris will be his running mate, making her the first Black woman on a major party presidential ticket.
After a lengthy and well-publicized vetting process, the ex-veep first made the hotly-anticipated announcement in a text message to supporters.
“Joe Biden here. Big news: I’ve chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. Together, with you, we’re going to beat Trump.” the message read.
Minutes later, Biden made the announcement via Twitter as well, writing “I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked
@KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate.”
“Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I’m proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign,” Biden wrote.
Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
The Biden campaign also announced, last week, that Biden will hold a virtual fundraiser with his new running mate.
“Don’t miss your chance to meet Joe Biden’s running mate,” the campaign wrote in a text message to supporters last Thursday. “We’re hosting a grassroots fundraiser with her once she’s announced, so top supporters like you have the first chance to hear directly from her.”
Although there were fierce lobbying efforts for several other hopefuls on Biden’s shortlist, which included a late concerted effort to hobble Harris in favor of other candidates, Senator Harris held a clear polling lead among Democratic voters by the time the selection process entered its final stages.
The Biden/Harris ticket is only the second mixed-race major party presidential ticket in U.S. history, the first one being then-Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden, who went on to become president and vice president in 2008. If Biden and Harris succeed in defeating President Donald Trump, Kamala Harris will become the first woman to serve as vice president of the United States, as well as the first Black person to hold the post.
