Harris clinches majority of Democratic delegates, inching toward party’s nomination

Vice President Kamala Harris has secured support from a majority of Democratic delegates, offering her a clear path to the party’s nomination.

According to a survey of delegates conducted by The Associated Press, over 2,600 delegates to the Democratic National Convention say they will support Harris, far surpassing the 1,976-vote threshold necessary to secure the party nomination.

In a statement, Harris expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden and “everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me,” she wrote.

“When I announced my campaign for president, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination,” the statement, posted to social media Monday evening, read. “Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee.” She added: “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”

Harris’ nomination will not be official until delegates cast their votes, which party officials say will take place prior to the Democratic National Convention, The New York Times reported. The vote is expected between Aug. 1 and Aug. 7.

In the hours after Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the race Sunday, top Democrats and campaign staff quickly coalesced behind Harris and encouraged delegates to express their support for her.

In a sign of how quickly Harris consolidated support, Utah Democratic Chair Diane Lewis did not endorse Harris Sunday afternoon, choosing only to thank Biden in a statement and vowed to get “Democrats elected across our cities, our state, and our country.” By 9 p.m. MDT Sunday, Lewis publicly endorsed Harris for president.

On Monday evening, Utah’s delegates to the national convention committed to vote for Harris, joining a chorus of state delegations — from California to Texas to Virginia — who gathered Monday and voiced support for the vice president.

“From prosecuting criminals and investigating predatory banks as Attorney General of California to casting the tie-breaking vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, Kamala Harris is the most qualified candidate to lead our country for the next four years,” Lewis wrote in a statement announcing the delegation’s support. “Her background as a criminal prosecutor makes her the perfect candidate to defeat Donald Trump, a convicted felon and twice-impeached ex-President.”

Harris has not yet announced her running mate.