Following Joe Biden’s decision not to run for re-election, Democrats quickly united behind Kamala Harris as their 2024 presidential nominee. Now aiming to be the first female president, Harris has energized liberal voters, bringing in a record $671 million in donations over the past two months—nearly three times more than her Republican opponent, Donald Trump.
Harris’s rise to the top has been unique and filled with challenges. Here’s a look at her journey, from her early career to becoming the first Black woman nominated for the presidency.
Kamala Harris’ Journey to Vice President
Harris first sought the presidency five years ago. She started her career as the district attorney in Alameda County, then served as San Francisco’s top prosecutor from 2004 to 2011. In 2011, she became California’s attorney general, making history as the first woman and Black person in the role. She used that momentum to successfully run for the U.S. Senate in 2016, where her sharp, prosecutorial questioning style in hearings drew attention.
Despite a promising start, her 2020 presidential campaign lost traction as she struggled to define her platform and ideology. After exiting the race, Biden selected Harris as his running mate, placing her back in the national spotlight.
Gil Duran, Harris’s former communications director, described this as a “major reversal of fortune,” noting that while many recognized her ambition and potential, few expected her rapid rise to the White House.
During her vice presidency, Harris played a crucial role in several initiatives, casting a record number of tie-breaking Senate votes to advance key legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan. She also led efforts to address the causes of migration amid surging numbers at the U.S.-Mexico border, an area where she faced criticism for not acting sooner.
Harris also championed reproductive rights following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, using the Democratic National Convention to emphasize this issue.
Reintroducing Herself to Voters
Harris is seeking to connect with voters as she campaigns against Trump, with some polls indicating a public perception of Trump as more moderate. In 2020, she was often attacked for her prosecutorial record, but today, Harris is positioning herself as a tough opponent against Trump, a convicted felon, while still advocating for a progressive agenda that supports middle-class families.
In her speeches, Harris frequently references her early life in Oakland, California, raised by her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, an Indian-born researcher and civil rights activist. Harris credits her mother with instilling values of resilience and justice. Although connected to both her Indian and Black heritage, Harris identifies simply as “American,” as she has often emphasized that politicians shouldn’t be confined by others’ perceptions of their background.
Howard University and Beyond
Harris’s experiences at Howard University, a historically Black institution, were pivotal. Her friend Lita Rosario-Richardson recalls Harris’s strong debating skills and shared memories of vibrant political discussions on campus. Their involvement in political movements against apartheid and for Martin Luther King Jr. Day highlighted the formative era for Harris’s political awareness.
Harris also navigated predominantly white spaces with ease, spending part of her childhood in Canada when her mother worked at McGill University. This multicultural upbringing, she believes, equipped her to embrace her identity on her own terms.
A Legacy of Leadership and Humor
Harris’s charisma and humor have been evident throughout her career, as captured in a memorable phone call to Biden in 2020, saying, “We did it, Joe,” after their election win. Her friends and family recall her trademark laugh and quick wit, qualities that have served her well from her days on Howard’s debate team to her vice-presidential role.
In her personal life, Harris is affectionately called “Momala” by her stepchildren, Cole and Ella, who joined her and husband Doug Emhoff at the Democratic National Convention, celebrating what they describe as a “big, beautiful blended family.” Her close family ties have been a strong support system throughout her public life.
Many see Harris as a continuation of the legacy of Black women leaders like Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker. Nadia Brown, a professor at Purdue University, sees Harris as a descendant of grassroots organizers and political pioneers who paved the way for her White House bid.
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