After President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race on Sunday, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Biden had chosen Harris as his running mate in 2020 after committing to selecting a Black woman for the ticket. Despite her own presidential bid in 2020, Harris only managed to garner 3% in the polls.
“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today, I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden said.
Harris recently addressed Democratic donors to alleviate concerns about Biden’s ability to continue his presidential campaign. Her allies have been preparing to ensure she becomes the top candidate following Biden’s decision to step down. They are likely to emphasize her experience as vice president over the past four years, though specifics about her accomplishments remain unclear.
Harris has faced challenges in gaining popularity over the past four years. When she was assigned the role of border “czar,” her office clarified that her focus was on addressing issues in the Northern Triangle countries in Central America, rather than directly managing the US-Mexico border. Despite the global increase in immigration, she did not visit the US-Mexico border during this time.