(Washington) Kamala Harris on Friday secured her party’s nomination for the November presidential election and a chance to take on Donald Trump, a lightning-fast coronation less than two weeks after Joe Biden dropped out.
Democrats announced midday that the US vice president had won the support of more than half of the delegates for her nomination, during an online vote.
The 50-year-old said she was “honored to be the nominee” for her party. She will officially accept the nomination after the polls close Monday and will celebrate it at a big party at the Democratic convention, scheduled for Chicago in mid-August.
Joe Biden announced with great fanfare on July 21 that he was withdrawing from the race for the White House, weighed down by concerns about his age and fitness. He immediately announced that he would support his number 2 to take over the torch.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” he said Friday afternoon.
Race for millions
Kamala Harris, who will become the first black female president of the United States if elected, now has less than 100 days to convince American voters to support her against former Republican President Donald Trump.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to get through this. And as your future president, I know we’re up for this fight,” she said in a broadcast call from a campaign event.
In this high-flying duel, the Democrat starts with a significant financial advantage.
Kamala Harris’ campaign announced it raised $310 million in July, more than double the amount raised by Donald Trump, much of which has come since the vice president replaced Joe Biden in the November election.
Funding plays a vital role in American campaigns, with often astronomical amounts spent largely on expensive clips flooding television channels and the internet.
The new Democratic candidate had raised $200 million in less than a week after Joe Biden withdrew, as donors disenchanted with the aging president returned. This fundraising was “fueled by the best month of fundraising from small donors in the history of the American presidential election,” she said.
The Republican candidate’s team announced in a press release on Thursday that it had raised $138.7 million in July, a significant sum raked in during the month in which Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt and received triumphant support at the Republican convention.
Seven States in Five Days
While the Democratic camp has benefited from a new boost in recent days, observers warn that it should be wary of excessive optimism, because even if the gap is narrowing, Donald Trump still maintains a lead in the polls.
Next week therefore promises to be an important one for Kamala Harris, who will seek not to lose her momentum.
In addition to making her inauguration official, the former prosecutor and former senator from California must announce the choice of her running mate, who will become vice president if she is elected.
The names of four governors of key states, as well as a senator, come up repeatedly.
Mme Harris and her choice to appear on the famous Democratic “ticket” will then begin, starting Tuesday, a tour of no less than seven states, which they will crisscross over five days. On the program: only key states, such as Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, and Nevada on Saturday.
The duo will then be feted at the Democratic convention scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago, a gathering that is shaping up to be a grand inauguration party.