Harris Accumulating Verbal Commitments to Secure Democratic Nomination
Nancy Pelosi urged the California delegation to support the vice president.
TroibNews 
SAN FRANCISCO — Vice President Kamala Harris announced Monday that she had obtained enough verbal commitments from delegates to secure the Democratic National Convention's presidential nomination, with California's delegates putting her over the threshold just under two days into her campaign.
During a private Zoom call, more than 300 California delegates voted in favor of Harris after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi encouraged party activists to unite and support her nomination.
Pelosi highlighted that Harris' candidacy has generated significant enthusiasm and improved the Democrats' prospects nationwide, according to a call recording obtained by POLITICO. No delegates opposed the vote during the call.
“It’s all different now, thanks to the selflessness of Joe Biden and the excellence of Kamala Harris,” Pelosi stated before the vote.
Pelosi also mentioned, “I know Kamala has known some bad hombres that she’s prosecuted. However, I know Donald Trump. We must be sure that he is not elected, that he does not come within a mile of the White House ever again.”
Harris later issued a statement expressing her pride in her home state's delegation for pushing her campaign over the top and her anticipation of formally accepting the nomination soon.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a Harris ally who chaired her 2020 presidential campaign, celebrated the milestone in a tweet. “Our delegates have put the VP over the required number she needs to be our nominee going into convention!” Garcia posted on X.
However, despite these verbal commitments, delegates are not bound to vote for Harris at next month's convention.
State delegations rapidly rallied behind Harris following President Joe Biden's announcement on Sunday that he would step aside in support of the vice president. Since then, delegations from over a dozen states, including New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Nebraska, Alaska, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, have held meetings to formalize their support.
More states are anticipated to follow this trend. According to Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, over 230 of Florida’s 254 delegates have expressed their support for Harris. Similarly, nearly all Wisconsin delegates have indicated their backing.
Christopher Dunn, the campaign’s Illinois state coordinator for delegate operations, stated that 64 out of Illinois' 178 delegates have committed to Harris. Unlike other states using virtual meetings to count delegates, Illinois is tracking endorsements through individual phone calls and emails.
Harris has also engaged her 2020 Leadership Committee to reach out to delegates. “Every single conversation has ended with a commitment or has leaned that way,” Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner told POLITICO, while making calls to delegates in Illinois and nationwide.
The swift support from state delegations following Biden's withdrawal underscores the Democratic Party's readiness to move past the turmoil that ensued after the president’s poor debate performance last month.
Leading figures in the party, including Pelosi, are spearheading this effort. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey introduced the motion to endorse Harris during her state’s delegate call, and Gov. Kathy Hochul advocated for Harris in New York, where delegates were described as “energized, enthusiastic” and “hopeful,” according to state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy encouraged delegates to express “one voice” at the convention, and after over an hour of discussion, they overwhelmingly endorsed Harris.
"It was unanimous," New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chair LeRoy Jones stated.
To officially clinch the nomination, Harris needs to secure a simple majority of nearly 4,000 convention delegates. If she does not achieve this on the first voting round, “automatic” delegates, such as elected officials, former presidents, and party luminaries, can engage in subsequent rounds until a majority is reached. Voting on the party’s presidential and vice-presidential picks could begin as early as next week, according to a draft plan released by the Democratic National Committee.
Despite the growing support for Harris, the lead-up to her bid has caused some internal party turmoil. Rep. Maxine Waters from Los Angeles County shared her initial upset upon hearing Sunday’s news, expressing her anger and distress. “When he first decided, I was angry, I was upset. I didn’t want to hear it,” Waters confided.
Eventually, Waters began to perceive Biden’s decision as a “sacrifice” for the party’s benefit. “He has done what it takes to unite this country,” she added.
Reporting contributions were made by Joe Anuta, Kimberly Leonard, and Adam Wren from New York, Florida, and Indiana.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
During a private Zoom call, more than 300 California delegates voted in favor of Harris after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi encouraged party activists to unite and support her nomination.
Pelosi highlighted that Harris' candidacy has generated significant enthusiasm and improved the Democrats' prospects nationwide, according to a call recording obtained by POLITICO. No delegates opposed the vote during the call.
“It’s all different now, thanks to the selflessness of Joe Biden and the excellence of Kamala Harris,” Pelosi stated before the vote.
Pelosi also mentioned, “I know Kamala has known some bad hombres that she’s prosecuted. However, I know Donald Trump. We must be sure that he is not elected, that he does not come within a mile of the White House ever again.”
Harris later issued a statement expressing her pride in her home state's delegation for pushing her campaign over the top and her anticipation of formally accepting the nomination soon.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a Harris ally who chaired her 2020 presidential campaign, celebrated the milestone in a tweet. “Our delegates have put the VP over the required number she needs to be our nominee going into convention!” Garcia posted on X.
However, despite these verbal commitments, delegates are not bound to vote for Harris at next month's convention.
State delegations rapidly rallied behind Harris following President Joe Biden's announcement on Sunday that he would step aside in support of the vice president. Since then, delegations from over a dozen states, including New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Nebraska, Alaska, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, have held meetings to formalize their support.
More states are anticipated to follow this trend. According to Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, over 230 of Florida’s 254 delegates have expressed their support for Harris. Similarly, nearly all Wisconsin delegates have indicated their backing.
Christopher Dunn, the campaign’s Illinois state coordinator for delegate operations, stated that 64 out of Illinois' 178 delegates have committed to Harris. Unlike other states using virtual meetings to count delegates, Illinois is tracking endorsements through individual phone calls and emails.
Harris has also engaged her 2020 Leadership Committee to reach out to delegates. “Every single conversation has ended with a commitment or has leaned that way,” Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner told POLITICO, while making calls to delegates in Illinois and nationwide.
The swift support from state delegations following Biden's withdrawal underscores the Democratic Party's readiness to move past the turmoil that ensued after the president’s poor debate performance last month.
Leading figures in the party, including Pelosi, are spearheading this effort. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey introduced the motion to endorse Harris during her state’s delegate call, and Gov. Kathy Hochul advocated for Harris in New York, where delegates were described as “energized, enthusiastic” and “hopeful,” according to state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy encouraged delegates to express “one voice” at the convention, and after over an hour of discussion, they overwhelmingly endorsed Harris.
"It was unanimous," New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chair LeRoy Jones stated.
To officially clinch the nomination, Harris needs to secure a simple majority of nearly 4,000 convention delegates. If she does not achieve this on the first voting round, “automatic” delegates, such as elected officials, former presidents, and party luminaries, can engage in subsequent rounds until a majority is reached. Voting on the party’s presidential and vice-presidential picks could begin as early as next week, according to a draft plan released by the Democratic National Committee.
Despite the growing support for Harris, the lead-up to her bid has caused some internal party turmoil. Rep. Maxine Waters from Los Angeles County shared her initial upset upon hearing Sunday’s news, expressing her anger and distress. “When he first decided, I was angry, I was upset. I didn’t want to hear it,” Waters confided.
Eventually, Waters began to perceive Biden’s decision as a “sacrifice” for the party’s benefit. “He has done what it takes to unite this country,” she added.
Reporting contributions were made by Joe Anuta, Kimberly Leonard, and Adam Wren from New York, Florida, and Indiana.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
