Top Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries endorse Kamala Harris for president

WASHINGTON – The two top Democrats in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president Tuesday afternoon.

The support from Schumer and Jeffries caps Harris' swift consolidation of support in the two days since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and offered his support to Harris.

“President Biden’s selfless decision has given the Democratic Party the opportunity to unite behind a new to nominee and boy oh boy, are we enthusiastic,” Schumer told reporters at a press conference at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters near the Capitol Tuesday afternoon.

All the other likely potential candidates that were expected to consider challenging Harris for the nomination instead endorsed her as of Tuesday, including Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

And by early Tuesday afternoon, every Democratic governor and more than 90% of Democratic senators and House members had endorsed Harris.

Schumer said he spoke with Harris on Sunday and that she "wanted the opportunity to win the nomination on her own." He argued she has done so, as evidenced by the volume of endorsements and the delegates that have already pledged to support her at the Democratic National Convention in August.

"The bottom line it was a bottom-up process, people just rallied right to her side," Schumer said when asked what he says to the American people who may feel she was selected by Democratic party insiders. "The enthusiasm in this big, diverse, representative party was amazing."

The rapid alignment behind Harris reflects the party's desire to put the chaos of the last few weeks behind them, in which internal disagreement and panic over their nominee thrust Democrats into an uncomfortable and relentless spotlight. The infighting came after Biden's disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump.

"I think they know how to do politics," Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told USA TODAY of Harris' wave of endorsements.

"But I would say this is not so much a question of strategy and execution as it is that organically the grassroots of the Democratic Party wants unity, wants clarity, and wants to get on with it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Schumer, Jeffries endorse Harris for president