Vice President Kamala Harris secured the delegate votes needed to become the Democratic presidential candidate earlier this month, but she will officially accept her nomination this week at the party’s convention in Chicago.
The DNC will be the party’s opportunity to officially introduce Harris to the country. President Biden endorsed her as his successor on the Democratic presidential ticket after dropping out of the race last month.
Here’s what you should know about her before she takes the stage at the DNC.
Your biography (coming soon)
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Name: Kamala Devi Harris
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Birth date: October 20, 1964, Oakland, California.
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Education: Howard University (B.A., 1986); University of California, Hastings College of the Law (JD, 1989)
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Parents: Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher from India, and Donald Harris, an economist from Jamaica; Gopalan died in 2009
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Siblings: Maya Harris, younger sister
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Spouse: Doug Emhoff, second gentleman (married 2014)
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Children: None together; Emhoff has two children, Cole and Ella, from his previous marriage
Their historic premieres
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Harris became the first black woman in California to be elected district attorney when she won the race for San Francisco district attorney in 2003.
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Harris was the first woman and first African American to be elected Attorney General of California.
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Harris was the first woman, the first African American and the first Asian American in United States history to be elected Vice President.
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Her husband, Doug Emhoff, was the first Second Gentleman in U.S. history and the first Jewish spouse of an American president or vice president.
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If elected, Harris would be the first woman and the first Asian-American president in US history.
Her record as Vice President
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Abortion rights: Harris was a key figure in the government’s response to the Supreme Court’s decision, Roe v. Wade. In the 2022 midterm elections, she urged Democrats to prioritize the issue of reproductive rights. And earlier this year, during a rally for reproductive freedom at her alma mater, Howard University, she delivered a fiery speech in which she slammed the “extremist so-called leaders” in states that have passed restrictive abortion bans.
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Voting rights: Harris was also heavily involved in the White House effort to codify voting rights. In 2023, she pushed for Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would have expanded the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and required federal approval for some changes to local voting laws. But the effort failed when then-Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema opposed changing the Senate filibuster to pass the bill.
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Immigration: Shortly after taking office, Harris was tapped by Biden to lead the administration’s efforts to address the crisis at the southern border, but she did not visit the border for months and then appeared to downplay the crisis, drawing criticism from Republicans and some Democrats.
➕Read more
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Read the full text of Biden’s letter announcing his decision. “I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country that I resign.” (Yahoo News)
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Timeline: Biden’s departure caps three turbulent weeks in US politics. “Here’s a summary of the milestones of a rollercoaster ride in U.S. politics.” (The Guardian)
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Biden’s candidacy for re-election in 2024 will face his ultimate opponent: time. “Yahoo News’ analysis of the president’s big decision and how we got here.” (Yahoo News)
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Political reactions to Biden’s decision. “America is a better place today because President Joe Biden led us with intelligence, grace and dignity. We are eternally grateful,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. (Reuters)
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Americans react to Biden’s historic decision. “Finally a courageous act from a politician.” (USA Today)
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Obama calls Biden a “patriot of the highest order” after he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. “Joe Biden was one of America’s most influential presidents and a dear friend and partner to me. Today we were reminded – once again – that he is a patriot of the highest order.” (Yahoo News)
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Republicans in the House of Representatives say Biden must resign after the end of the re-election campaign. “If Joe Biden cannot run for re-election, he is unfit and unfit to serve as President of the United States. He must resign immediately,” said Elise Stefanik, chair of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives. (The Hill)
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What happens to Biden’s campaign funds after he drops out? “If Vice President Kamala Harris is the new nominee, will she have access to these funds? If one of the other rumored Democratic candidates is selected, will they be able to use this money?” (Yahoo News)
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FAQ: How will Democrats select a new presidential candidate? “What’s next for the Democratic Party as it heads toward a convention and the November election against Republican candidate Donald Trump?” (Yahoo News)
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Until 1968, presidential candidates were selected at party conventions – a process that was revived by Biden’s retreat from racial discrimination. “The tradition of selecting a candidate through primaries and caucuses – rather than through the so-called ‘convention system’ – is relatively new.” (The conversation)
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Who will replace Biden as the new Democratic candidate? “Here are some of the hypothetical Biden replacement candidates being discussed – along with their ranking among voters in a Yahoo News/YouGov poll after the debate.” (Yahoo News)
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Harris says she wants to “earn and win” the Democratic nomination. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party – and 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.” (Yahoo News)
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Harris’ 2020 campaign was a disaster. If she ends up at the top of the ballot, things could be very different this time. “Admirers say Harris has grown in his job.” (NBC News)
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Would America be ready for President Kamala Harris? “But from the beginning there was a certain reluctance to fully accept the second power in the country, and some Democrats openly overlooked it.” (USA Today)
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Democrats rally behind Kamala Harris to avert a divisive convention. “Democratic donors who had urged Biden to drop out of the race wasted no time in immediately supporting Harris, the New York Times reported, quickly raising millions of dollars.” (Yahoo News)
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Harris fans are sharing their support across the internet. “Members of ‘KHive’ – a play on words for Beyoncé’s ‘Beyhive’ fan club – are creating fancams and memes of the vice president, who is now running for the Democratic nomination.” (Yahoo News)
