Kamala Harris formally secures Democratic presidential nomination

WASHINGTON: US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and African heritage, on Tuesday formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first Indian-American to be nominated as a presidential candidate of a major political party.

Harris, 59, would face former US president and Republican nominee Donald Trump, 78, in the November general elections.

Last Friday, Harris, who was abruptly thrust into the role of presidential candidate late last month after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race for the White House, was declared the 2024 presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party after she won enough votes from Democratic delegates in a virtual roll call.

"I am honoured to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I will officially accept the nomination next week. This campaign is about people coming together, fuelled by love of country, to fight for the best of who we are,” Harris had said.

Harris received 99 per cent of the votes of the pledged and automatic delegates at the conclusion of the roll call vote on Monday night. As many as 4,567 delegates from across the country cast their vote for Harris.

The next steps in the nominating process include the certification of the roll call by the Democratic National Convention secretary Jason Rae, and the acceptance of the nomination by Harris and her running mate, certified by DNCC Chair Minyon Moore.

Democratic Party delegates from across the country will then celebrate the nomination through a celebratory roll call at the in-person convention in Chicago from August 9 to 22.

“With the support of 99 per cent of all participating delegates in the virtual roll call, Vice President Harris has historic momentum at her back as we embark on the final steps in officially certifying her as our party’s nominee,’ DNC chair Jaime Harrison and DNCC chair Minyon Moore said in a joint statement.

A step away from breaking the last glass ceiling of the United States, Harris became the first ever woman of colour to be on the top of a presidential ticket of a major American political party. She is also the first ever Indian American to be nominated as presidential candidate of either the Republican or the Democratic party.

Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was Indian and her father, Donald Jasper Harris, is Jamaican; both immigrated to the US.