Kamala Harris has launched her campaign for the White House, after President Joe Biden stepped aside Sunday under pressure from party leaders.
The vice president has Biden’s endorsement, and is unchallenged as yet for the Democratic nomination, which will be formally decided at the Aug. 19 convention in Chicago.
“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
In her statement, the vice president paid tribute to Biden’s “extraordinary leadership,” saying he had achieved more in one term than many presidents do in two.
“With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else,” Harris said.
Harris, a former California attorney general and senator, has deep ties to the entertainment industry. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, is a former entertainment lawyer. Her friends in the music business include Troy Carter and Daniel Glass.
And during her short-lived run for president in 2019, she led all Democratic contenders in donations from Hollywood, with support from Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Donna Langley and Nicole Avant.
Biden endorsed Harris shortly after bowing out of the presidential race.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump.”
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also endorsed Harris.
Biden’s close aides also signaled they will work to quickly unite the party behind Harris, with just a few weeks left before the convention and less than four months remaining in the 2024 campaign.
“Now that the donors and electeds have pushed out the only candidate who has ever beaten Trump, it’s time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign — our outstanding VP, Kamala Harris!!,” said Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff, on X.