Kamala Harris has been backed to replace Joe Biden after he dropped out of the US presidential race on Sunday, July 21. Harris, the current Vice President, has received an influx of endorsements from leading political figures since the news broke, with Democratic fundraising group ActBlue confirming that the move sparked its largest single-day donation haul of the 2024 election. 

“On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country,” Harris wrote on social media, adding that her intention is to “earn and win” the nomination to replace him.

“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party–and unite our nation–to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” she said.

Biden was among the first to voice his support for his colleague, saying: “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats–it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024

Many other prominent figures similarly backed Harris, including openly gay Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, left-wing politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

“Kamala Harris is now the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as President,” Buttigieg stated.

“I have seen her extraordinary leadership firsthand, working closely with her during the 2020 campaign and then in the historically effective Biden-Harris administration. I will do all that I can to help her win this election to lead America forward as our next President.”

I will do all that I can to help elect @KamalaHarris the next President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/bHkiqpa7Lg

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) July 21, 2024

Notably, former president Barack Obama has not endorsed Harris, neither has California Senator Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries or Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

If Kamala Harris wins the nomination and subsequently the election, she will make history as the first woman and woman of colour to be president of the United States. She also has a history of LGBTQ+ allyship and is a supporter of reproductive rights, but has faced criticism for her stance on some trans and sex worker issues.

A former lawyer, she previously worked as the District Attorney for San Francisco City and Country. When the city achieved marriage equality in 2004, Harris conducted weddings for same-sex couples (which were later nullified) and described it as “one of the most joyful” moments of her career.

She also established hate crimes and environmental justice units in the District Attorney’s office and created a program to allow first-time drug offenders to earn a high school degree and find employment. 

Harris later became Attorney General of California and played a key role in restoring marriage equality in the state. She additionally led efforts to abolish gay and transgender “panic” defences in criminal trials.

In 2016, she was elected to the US Senate, receiving a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard which measures support for LGBTQ+ equality. As Senator, she introduced a bill to mandate insurance coverage for HIV prevention medication, PrEP, and worked to improve rent relief, maternal health care, the climate crisis, and more.

Harris continued to advocate for progressive causes during her vice presidency, speaking out in opposition to the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the US. She has also hosted Pride receptions, visited the Stonewall Inn and met with WNBA star Brittney Griner after she was released from Russian prison.

On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country.

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 21, 2024

The Democratic National Convention is set to take place from August 19 to 22, where the party will officially nominate its presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2024 election.