California Governor Gavin Newsom has surprised some observers by speedily declaring his support for Vice President Kamala Harris as Joe Biden pulled out of the Presidential race. Writing on Twitter, Newsom praised his fellow Californian as “tough, fearless, tenacious” and said he would guide America in a “healthier” direction. Analysts previously considered Newsom a potential favorite to take the Democratic Party’s reins should Biden stand down.
Other senior Democrats to back the Vice President include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. All three are considered prominent candidates for Harris’s Vice Presidential pick, along with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Dick Durbin.
ActBlue, an organization that raises money for Democratic candidates, reported raising $47 million in the hours following Biden’s announcement. The group tweeted that the money came from small donors who were “fired up” and eager to take the fight to Donald Trump. Separate reports indicate that the Democrats enjoyed their best fundraising day since 2020.
Donald Trump reacted with fury to the news, saying Republicans had spent millions fighting Joe Biden and would now be forced to start over. On his Truth Social media account, Trump described Biden as the worst President in US history but promised to undo “the damage” very quickly.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, added his voice and agreed that Biden was the worst President of his lifetime, quickly adding that Harris was “right there with him every step of the way.”
In the first statement of her presumptive campaign, Ms. Harris took aim at Trump, declaring him a “felon” and reminding voters of her history as a California prosecutor and “standing up to fraudsters and criminals.” Ammar Moussa, who worked on Biden’s campaign and has now transferred to Harris, said the Vice President has “held criminals accountable her entire career – and Donald Trump will be no different.”
Harris said she intends to earn the nomination, while Trump said she will be easier to defeat.
