Omar Bennett
Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, launched her presidential campaign in July 2024, after Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy from the 2024 presidential election and endorsed her. Harris, a member of the Democratic Party, was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election. She selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Harris was the first nominee who did not participate in the primaries since Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968. She also had the shortest general election presidential campaign in history, at 107 days. Harris was defeated by the Republican nominee, former president Donald Trump.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of presidential campaign | 2020, 2024 |
| Outcome of the campaign | Lost in 2024 |
| Running mate | Minnesota governor Tim Walz |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Position during the campaign | Vice President |
| Previous positions | United States senator from California, District Attorney |
| Race | First Black and South Asian woman to head a major party's presidential ticket |
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What You'll Learn
- Kamala Harris launched her 2024 presidential campaign in July 2024
- Harris was the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to run for president
- Harris was endorsed by Joe Biden, who was the previous president
- Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, could have become the first First Gentleman in US history
- Harris' 2020 presidential campaign ended due to a lack of funds
Kamala Harris launched her 2024 presidential campaign in July 2024
In July 2024, Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign for the second time. This was after Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy for re-election and endorsed her. Harris, who was Biden's vice president, became the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to head a major party's presidential ticket. She was born in Oakland, California, in 1964, to an Indian-born mother and a Jamaican-born father, both professors.
Harris got her start in politics at the age of 29, when she joined the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. She later took a job at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, but was demoted after opposing a measure to try juveniles as adults for felony crimes. She then joined the city attorney's office and successfully ran for San Francisco DA.
Harris's 2024 campaign was not her first attempt to become president. In 2019, she launched her first presidential campaign but withdrew in December of that year due to a lack of funds. Despite this setback, she remained committed to public service and was chosen by Biden to be his running mate in 2020. Harris broke barriers as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president.
During her time as vice president, Harris played a pivotal role in the Biden administration, particularly due to her tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate. She also briefly served as acting president in 2021 when Biden underwent a medical procedure, becoming the first woman and third person to assume the powers and duties of the presidency in an acting capacity.
As a presidential candidate in 2024, Harris pledged to pursue universal background checks and a ban on assault-style rifles. She also criticised her opponent, former President Trump, for his stance on abortion rights, promising to restore women's rights. Despite her strong platform and historic candidacy, Harris ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, Trump and Ohio senator JD Vance.
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Harris was the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to run for president
Kamala Harris, the first female vice president of the United States, launched her presidential campaign in July 2024. Harris was the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election and selected Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. She was the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to head a major party's presidential ticket.
Harris was born in Oakland, California, in 1964 to an Indian-born biologist mother and a Jamaican-born economist father. Both her parents were professors. Harris attended Howard University, where she joined the debate team, and later Hastings College of Law. She got her start in politics at the age of 29, working at the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, where she met California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. Brown appointed her to several well-paid state commissions. In 1998, Harris took a job at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office but was demoted for opposing a measure to try juveniles as adults for felony crimes. She then took a job in the city attorney's office and successfully ran for San Francisco DA.
Harris was a United States senator from California from 2017 to 2021 and launched her first presidential campaign in 2020. She was considered a "high-profile" candidate but withdrew her candidacy due to a lack of funds. In 2020, Harris was chosen by Joe Biden to be his running mate, and they went on to win the general election. Harris broke several barriers as the first woman, Black person, and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.
Harris's 2024 presidential campaign faced challenges, including her public image, with some of her remarks being widely shared as memes. Her law enforcement background was also scrutinized, particularly her record as a prosecutor for jailing marijuana offenders. Despite this, Harris played a pivotal role in the Biden administration, including casting a record number of tie-breaking votes as vice president. If elected, Harris would have become the first female president and the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the office.
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Harris was endorsed by Joe Biden, who was the previous president
Kamala Harris, the first female US vice president, launched her presidential campaign in July 2024. This was after Joe Biden, the previous president, withdrew his candidacy from the 2024 presidential election and endorsed her. Harris became the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to head a major party's presidential ticket. She was also the first Indian/Caribbean woman to seek the Democratic nomination for president.
Harris had also launched a presidential campaign in 2020 but withdrew her candidacy due to a lack of funds. She later endorsed Joe Biden, who emerged as the frontrunner following the Super Tuesday primaries. Biden chose Harris as his running mate, and they went on to win the general election. Harris became the first female vice president of the United States.
Harris's 2024 presidential campaign was not without its challenges. She had to navigate a political minefield, as any hint that she was plotting to replace Biden before he stepped down could have been detrimental to her campaign. Her team launched a stealth operation, recruiting people with no direct connection to the vice president. Despite this, Harris secured the Democratic nomination for president in August 2024 and chose Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
Harris's appeal as a candidate was partly due to her demographic appeal and her law enforcement background, which was especially relevant in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and rising crime in some cities. She had also gained recognition for her role as a tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate during her time as vice president.
Harris's 2024 campaign generated significant media attention, with her remarks and boisterous laughter being widely shared as memes. Her name, "Kamala," also gained increased attention, with her political opponents often mispronouncing it. Despite her strong campaign, Harris ultimately lost the 2024 election to the Republican nominees, former president Trump, and Ohio senator JD Vance.
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Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, could have become the first First Gentleman in US history
Kamala Harris, the former Vice President of the United States, launched her presidential campaign in July 2024 after Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy. Harris became the Democratic nominee and selected Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. She was the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to head a major party's presidential ticket. Harris ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, former president Trump and Ohio senator JD Vance.
Harris is married to Doug Emhoff, an American lawyer who served as the second gentleman of the United States from 2021 to 2025. Emhoff was the first Jewish person to be the spouse of a nationally elected US leader and the first second gentleman in US history. If Harris had won the 2024 election, Emhoff would have become the first first gentleman in US history.
Harris and Emhoff were set up on a blind date in 2013 when Harris was the attorney general of California. They got married in 2014. Emhoff has been a strong supporter of his wife and has played an influential role in fundraising for her presidential campaign. He has also been actively involved in championing the Biden administration's accomplishments.
Emhoff is a distinguished lawyer and educator. He began his career as an entertainment lawyer and later became a partner at DLA Piper. He has also taught courses at the Georgetown University Law Center and is a visiting professor there.
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Harris' 2020 presidential campaign ended due to a lack of funds
Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, launched her 2020 presidential campaign on December 3, 2019. Despite attracting support from members of the Congressional Black Caucus and securing endorsements from labor unions, Harris struggled with fundraising and stagnant polling numbers.
On November 19, 2021, Harris served as acting president for an hour and twenty-five minutes while President Biden underwent a colonoscopy, becoming the first woman and third person to assume the duties of the presidency in this capacity. As early as December 2021, Harris was identified as a pivotal figure in the Biden administration due to her tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate and her potential to become the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election if Biden did not seek reelection.
Harris's 2020 campaign was marked by strategic shifts and a focus on early states like Iowa. She faced scrutiny for her record as a prosecutor and her stance on marijuana offenders, but also gained attention for her plans to pursue universal background checks and a ban on assault-style rifles. Despite these efforts, Harris ultimately ended her 2020 campaign early, citing a lack of financial resources.
On December 3, 2019, Harris officially terminated her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, stating that she lacked the financial means to proceed. She did not immediately endorse another Democratic candidate but vowed to continue working to defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Harris's withdrawal prompted a sarcastic tweet from then-President Trump, to which she replied, "Don't worry, Mr. President. I'll see you at your trial."
Harris's 2020 campaign faced financial challenges, leading to its premature conclusion. However, her political career continued to flourish, and she remained a prominent figure in American politics, going on to launch another presidential campaign in 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kamala Harris ran for president in 2020 and 2024.
No, she lost to Republican nominee and former president, Donald Trump.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz.
No, but she served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden.
