Kamala Harris Makes History

Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in US history, formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday—becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, the AP reports. As soon as President Biden abruptly ended his candidacy, Harris and her team worked rapidly to secure backing from the 1,976 party delegates needed to clinch the nomination in a formal roll call vote. She reached that marker at warp speed, with an AP survey of delegates nationwide showing she locked down the necessary commitments a mere 32 hours after Biden's announcement.

Harris' nomination became official after a five-day round of online balloting by Democratic National Convention delegates ended Monday night, with the party saying in a statement released just before midnight that 99% of delegates casting ballots had done so for Harris. The party had long contemplated the early virtual roll call to ensure Biden would appear on the ballot in every state. It said it would next formally certify the vote before holding a celebratory roll call at the party's convention later this month in Chicago. (For more on how the virtual roll call worked, click here.)