July 21 (UPI) — Two hours after President Joe Biden announced he is ending his campaign run, Vice President Kamala Harris said she was “honored” to receive Biden’s endorsement and intends to “earn and win” the Democratic nomination.
“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” said the first Black person and first woman to serve as vice president.
“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. 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.”
With their campaign account was registered with the Federal Election Commission in the name of both candidates, Harris could use those funds for her own presidential effort once Biden drops out, according to Kenneth Gross, senior political law counsel at Akin Gump and former associate general counsel for the FEC.
The campaign has $95.9 million cash on hand.
The Biden-Harris campaign formally amended filings with the FEC to rename its principal committee.
The committee also filed a letter with the commission stating: “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.”
Donors have indicated a willingness to resume giving to the presidential campaign after many didn’t want more money to go to Biden.
Harris has already made a fundraising social media post
“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. If you’re with me, add a donation right now,” Harris wrote on X.
The link goes to an Act Blue donation page.
She is attempting to become the first presidential nominee of a major party since Hillary Clinton in 2016 lost to Trump.
Biden, 81, and Kamala Harris, 59, spoke Sunday, according to a CNN source familiar.
After announcing Sunday afternoon he wasn’t seeking reelection, Biden threw his support behind Harris to become the next Democratic nominee for president, calling on the party to come together.
Harris appeared at a campaign fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass., on Saturday that raised $2 million, according to event organizers.
She had been set to travel to Milwaukee on Tuesday in her fifth visit to Wisconsin, a battleground state, this year.
Harris also planned to attend the Zeta Phi Beta sorority’s Grand Boule in Indianapolis.
Harris has received the endorsement of politicians, including members of the House and governors.
The Congressional Black Caucus PAC endorsed Harris.
Key Black female Democratic allies are planning to meet in a Zoom call later Sunday, according to an individual familiar with their plans.
“The bottom line is, we are ready to go,” voting rights organization Black Voters Matter said.
LaTosha Brown of Black Voters Matter said the group was grateful for Biden’s service, which is why it “fought for him until the end.”
“We are ecstatic that he has put his endorsement behind Vice President Kamala Harris. We expect the full Democratic apparatus to do the same and if they don’t, they will lose this election,” Brown said.
The Democratic Convention is less than one month away in Chicago.
On Friday, the party announced plans to conduct an early virtual roll call vote will not take before Aug. 1 or after Aug. 7.
The committee said a final date would be set by DNC leadership after a second committee meeting next week.
The 3,896 pledged delegates will be given 24-hour notice before the virtual ballot window opens.
Biden won 99% of the pledged delegates. These delegates aren’t just pledged to vote for Biden; they’re also approved by his campaign.
There also are 700 automatic “superdelegates,” which include members of the House and Senate, governors, state party chairs and DNC members. They are not permitted to vote on the first ballot unless it’s determined that one candidate has an absolute majority of pledged delegates.
Harris, a U.S. senator from California, was selcted as his vice presidential running mate in August 2020 before the convention.
“I’ve decided that Kamala Harris is the best person to help me take this fight to Trump and Mike Pence and then to lead this nation starting in January 2021,” the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee wrote in an email Tuesday.
Harris ran against Bicden for president but dropped out before the primaries.
She served as a senator from 2017 to 2021. Previously, she was California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017 after being the district attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.
Harris, born in Oakland, Calif., of Jamaica and Indian descent. She graduated from Howard with a degree in political science and economics. Her law degree is from the University of California.