Kamala Harris' Bid For President Draws Growing Support After Biden Drops Out Of 2024 Race

Democrats on Monday moved to consolidate behind Vice President Kamala Harris for the party's nomination, capping a dramatic 24 hours since President Biden made the shocking announcement that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, later announcing his endorsement of Harris for the nomination. 

Harris made her first public remarks since the announcement at the White House Monday at an event honoring college athletes. She said she's "deeply, deeply grateful" to Mr. Biden for his "service to his nation" and called his legacy "unmatched in modern history."

Harris is visiting the Wilmington campaign office to meet the staff, she posted on social media. A Democratic political action group, Future Forward PAC, announced Monday that it had raised $150 million, a staggering amount, given the lag in Democrats' fundraising since Mr. Biden's disastrous debate against Trump last month. 

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, still one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, endorsed Harris on Monday, a key stepping stone, although Democratic leaders such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and current Speaker Hakeem Jeffries have not yet endorsed her. 

Harris, the 59-year-old former senator and state attorney general from California, also earned support from many who had been considered top rivals for the nomination, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. 

Although Mr. Biden has endorsed her, he does not appoint a successor in the race. The delegates to the Democratic National Convention will vote on who becomes the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Democrats are expected to hold a virtual roll-call vote formalizing the nomination in early August, weeks before the convention, which is slated to begin in Chicago on Aug. 19.

The Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has been posting on social media about Mr. Biden's decision to drop out, and he won't commit to any debates against the eventual nominee. GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, meanwhile, will be speaking at a rally on Monday. 

10 potential running mates for Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is looking at a deep bench of potential running mates. With the Democratic National Convention a month away, she'll have to make her decision soon. The possibles include: 

1. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
2. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
3. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
4. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
5. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker 
6. California Gov. Gavin Newsom 
7. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore 
8. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg 
9. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper 
10. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz 

Harris campaign raises $81 million in 24 hours

Harris' presidential campaign raked in $81 million in the 24 hours after Mr. Biden ended his bid for reelection, her campaign said Monday.

The eye-popping haul includes money raised across Harris' campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees, and underscores the vice president's enormous financial advantage over any potential challengers for the Democratic nomination. It's the largest amount of money raised in a 24-hour span in presidential history, according to Team Harris. 

The campaign said that more than 888,000 grassroots donors made contributions in the past 24 hours, and for 60% of them, it was their first contribution of the 2024 election cycle. A call hosted by the group "Win with Black Women" brought in $1.6 million alone, Team Harris said.

Clyburn predicts "everybody is going to coalesce" around Harris

Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina — the man Mr. Biden credits for helping him win the Democratic nomination in 2020 — expressed confidence in Democratic Party unity. 

"Everybody is going to coalesce around the vice president, and she'll be fine," Clyburn told reporters on Capitol Hill. 

Clyburn, 84, is a fixture in Democratic politics. Representing a majority-Black district in South Carolina, Clyburn endorsed Mr. Biden even after the president lost the first contests in the 2020 primary. It helped Mr. Biden win the South Carolina primary and eventually, the presidency. 

Schumer, Jeffries say Harris off to "great start," stop short of endorsement

The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate praised Harris' early efforts in pursuing the party's presidential nomination and said in a joint statement that they are looking forward to meeting in-person with her "shortly."

"Vice President Kamala Harris is off to a great start with her promise to pursue the presidential nomination in a manner consistent with the grassroots and transparent process set forth by the Democratic National Committee," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. "She is rapidly picking up support from grassroots delegates from one end of the country to the other."

Schumer and Jeffries, both from New York, stopped short of endorsing Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

Pelosi formally endorses Harris

House speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi formally endorsed Harris on Monday afternoon.

"Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country's future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States," Pelosi said in a statement. "My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for President is official, personal and political." 

Pelosi called on Democrats to "unite" behind Harris in order to defeat Donald Trump. 

"In the Democratic Party, our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power," Pelosi said. "Now, we must unify and charge forward to resoundingly defeat Donald Trump and enthusiastically elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States. Onward to victory!"

Pelosi also gave a nod to Mr. Biden's decades of leadership and service, calling him "one of our country's most consequential presidents." 

Emhoff will join Harris when she visits Wilmington campaign headquarters

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will join Harris Monday afternoon when she stops by the Harris campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.

Emhoff was in Los Angeles over the weekend for a previously scheduled visit to see his parents, as the president's political future was made on the East Coast.