(Bloomberg) -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, culminating the party’s rapid consolidation behind her nomination after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign just two days earlier.
Democrats can now come together after weeks of infighting over what to do about Biden’s disastrous debate performance and turn to the task of defeating Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Schumer lauded “a surge in enthusiasm from every corner of our party” as Harris emerged as Biden’s replacement on the Democratic ticket. Jeffries said she “will fight for our freedom, fight for our families, fight for our future.”
Harris spent the last two days clearing the field of other potential contenders and will launch her campaign Tuesday with a rally in Milwaukee, in the critical battleground state of Wisconsin. Supporters showed an initial burst of enthusiasm for Harris with a record-breaking $100 million in donations to her campaign in her first day as a candidate.
By Monday night, a majority of delegates to the party’s August nominating convention pledged to back her, clinching her status as the Democratic presidential candidate. Nearly every major political figure in the party has endorsed her.
The two congressional leaders waited to give Harris their backing until she “earned the support of our party” by winning over enough convention delegates, Schumer said.
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