Joe Biden Chooses Senator Kamala Harris as VP Candidate
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has announced Sen. Kamala Harris of California as his running mate.
The selection makes Harris the third woman and first African American candidate to be nominated for vice president by a major political party.
The selection came despite a months-long pressure for Biden to pick a progressive like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and in the final few weeks of the search, concerted lobbying by prominent Democrats on behalf of California Rep. Karen Bass and former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice.
“You make a lot of important decisions as president. But the first one is who you select to be your Vice President,” said Biden in an email to supporters. “I’ve decided that Kamala Harris is the best person to help me take this fight to Donald Trump and Mike Pence and then to lead this nation starting in January 2021.”
Biden added. “I need someone working alongside me who is smart, tough, and ready to lead. Kamala is that person.”
The two are set to deliver remarks in Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Del., on Wednesday, and together hold a virtual fundraiser. The coronavirus pandemic prevents Biden and Harris from rolling out their new ticket in the usual format: an introductory rally in the key swing states.
