Washington, July 23 (EFE).- United States Vice President Kamala Harris gained the support of enough delegates Monday to guarantee her nomination in the Democratic Party as the candidate for November’s presidential elections, according to California Congressman Robert Garcia.
“California just voted unanimously to nominate our very own Kamala Harris for President. Our delegates have put the VP over the required number she needs to be our nominee going into convention!” Garcia wrote on his personal X account.
To win the nomination in the first round of voting, a candidate needs the support of at least 1,976 delegates out of 4,000.
“… I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped…” Harris said in a statement shortly after the news broke.
Harris added that she hopes to formally accept the nomination soon before the Democratic Party’s National Convention begins on Aug. 19, marking the closing of the primary process.
Pledges of support from delegates are a required endorsement for Harris. Although delegates could change their minds between now and the vote in August, no other candidate has stepped forward since President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid Sunday.
Harris would not officially become the party’s candidate until delegates formally vote in a virtual roll-call vote expected to conclude Aug. 7.
The vice president, who announced her candidacy Sunday after Biden’s withdrawal, is Democrats’ favorite candidate after having received the support of the president, former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the country’s Democratic governors – some of whom sounded like possible candidates.
However, other candidates could be presented if they obtain the nomination signatures of at least 300 delegates, with more than one-sixth coming from a single state.
If only one candidate, most likely Harris, reaches the 300 signature threshold, virtual voting could take place as early as Aug. 1, party officials told media on Monday, and if there are multiple candidates, voting will be held. It would take place days later, but would be completed before Aug. 7.
Meanwhile, if the nomination occurs early next month, the Aug. 19 Democratic convention in Chicago will be a purely ceremonial function and a television opportunity for political training. EFE
syr-jmr/lds
