Omar Bennett
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is a member of the Democratic Party and was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election. Harris is the first woman, first African-American, and first Asian-American vice president in US history. She previously served as a United States senator from California from 2017 to 2021 and as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| 2024 Presidential Candidate Running Mate | Minnesota Governor Tim Walz |
| 2020 Presidential Candidate Running Mate | Joe Biden |
| Political Stance | Pragmatic moderate |
| Voting Record in the Senate | Liberal |
| Political Career | Prosecutor, Senator, Vice President |
| Firsts | First female, African-American, and Asian-American Vice President |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris is a Democrat
Harris is a member of the Democratic Party and was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election. She was confirmed as the Democrats' 2024 candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She was also the first resident of the Western United States to appear on the Democratic Party's national ticket. Harris's politics are widely seen as consistent with Biden's. In 2020, The New York Times called her a "pragmatic moderate", with policy positions that broadly mirror Biden's.
Harris has a history with the Democratic Party. In 2010, she announced her candidacy for attorney general and was endorsed by prominent California Democrats, including U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She won the Democratic primary and narrowly defeated Republican nominee Steve Cooley in the general election. In 2015, she announced she was running for the US Senate and secured the support of Biden and President Barack Obama. In 2017, she became the second Black woman to serve in the Senate. In 2019, she launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Harris has worked on bipartisan bills with Republican co-sponsors, including a bail reform bill with Rand Paul and an election security bill with James Lankford. She has also supported a bipartisan bill, the S.4361 - Border Act of 2024, that would have funded additional border agents and closed the border if it was too crowded. However, her positions are generally consistent with Democratic values. For example, she has made abortion central to her campaign and continues to advocate for legislation that would safeguard reproductive rights nationwide.
How Public Interest Groups Shape Society's Future
You may want to see also
She was the first female US vice president
Kamala Harris is a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She was the first female U.S. vice president, the first African-American, and the first Asian-American vice president. Harris is the third person with acknowledged non-European ancestry to become president or vice president.
Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, to an Indian-born mother and a Jamaican-born father. She graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Harris began her career as a prosecutor, fighting her way up to become the top public prosecutor in California. She was the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold the office of California Attorney General in the state's history. She served from 2011 to 2017 and was then elected to the United States Senate, serving from 2017 to 2021.
In 2020, Joe Biden selected Harris as his running mate in the United States presidential election. With Biden's victory, Harris became vice president and was sworn in on January 20, 2021. She presided over an evenly split U.S. Senate and cast 33 tie-breaking votes, more than any other vice president, to pass significant legislation such as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act.
As vice president, Harris supported a bipartisan bill, the S.4361 - Border Act of 2024, which aimed to address border security and immigration issues. She also worked with President Biden to pass major economic legislation, known as "Bidenomics," which included substantial investments in infrastructure and green energy. Harris has been a strong advocate for reproductive rights and has made abortion a central issue in her political campaigns.
In July 2024, after Biden withdrew his candidacy for reelection, Harris launched her own presidential campaign and became the Democratic Party's nominee. She selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate but ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, former President Trump, and Ohio Senator JD Vance.
Political Campaigns: How to Win Elections and Influence Voters
You may want to see also
Harris was the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee
Kamala Harris is a member of the Democratic Party and was the party's 2024 presidential nominee. She was confirmed as the Democrats' 2024 candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Harris was the first African-American and Asian-American vice president of the United States, serving from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She was also the first woman vice president, making her the highest-ranking female and Asian-American official in US history.
Harris began her career as a prosecutor and was the top public prosecutor in California before entering politics. She was elected attorney general of California in 2010, becoming the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold the office. She served in this role until 2017, when she took her seat in the United States Senate. Harris was the second Black woman to serve in the Senate, and her politics are widely seen as consistent with Biden's.
Harris was selected by Biden as his running mate in the 2020 United States presidential election. She was sworn in as vice president in 2021 and became the vice president-elect. During her time as vice president, she supported a bipartisan bill, the S.4361 - Border Act of 2024, which would have funded additional border agents and closed the border if it was too crowded. She also co-sponsored the Territories Health Equity Act of 2019, which aimed to equalize funding for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands with that of US states.
In 2024, Harris launched her own presidential campaign after Biden withdrew his candidacy. She selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate and focused her campaign on reproductive rights and democracy over autocracy. Harris was endorsed by major Democratic Party figures, including the Congressional Black Caucus and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Despite her strong start in the polls, the race tightened at the end of October, and she ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, former president Trump, and Ohio senator JD Vance.
Mail Privileges: Perks Politicians Get from the Government
You may want to see also
Explore related products
She was Joe Biden's running mate in 2020
Kamala Harris is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2020, she was Joe Biden's running mate. Biden announced that he had chosen Harris as his running mate on August 11, 2020. Harris is the first African-American, the first Indian-American, and the third woman after Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin to be the vice-presidential nominee on a major-party ticket. She is also the first resident of the Western United States to appear on the Democratic Party's national ticket.
Harris and Biden's ticket defeated the incumbent president and vice president, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, in the 2020 presidential election. Harris became the vice president-elect after Biden won the 2020 presidential election. She was sworn in as vice president on January 20, 2021, becoming the United States' first female vice president, first African-American vice president, and first Asian-American vice president. Harris's politics are widely seen as consistent with Biden's. In 2020, The New York Times called her a "pragmatic moderate", with policy positions that broadly mirror Biden's.
Harris's selection as Biden's running mate was a historic choice that bolstered his chances of defeating Trump in an election year marked by the coronavirus pandemic and a national reckoning on race. Harris is the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, and her nomination was a significant step forward for women of colour and children of immigrant parents in politics. She is a charismatic and energetic leader who brought a new perspective to the Democratic ticket.
Before becoming Biden's running mate, Harris had a successful career in law and politics. She served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017 and as a United States senator representing California from 2017 to 2021. She was also a strong supporter of racial justice and had clashed with Biden during the Democratic debates before dropping out of the race and becoming his running mate.
Donate to Kamala Harris: Support Her Initiatives Today!
You may want to see also
Harris is a former senator from California
Kamala Harris is a Democrat and served as a United States Senator for California from 2017 to 2021. Harris is a former senator from California, having represented the state in the US Senate from 2017 until her resignation in 2021, when she became Vice President. She is the first female vice president of the United States and the highest-ranking female official in US history. Harris is also the first African American and first Asian American vice president.
Born in Oakland, California, Harris began her political career in San Francisco, where she served as district attorney and later as state attorney general. In 2016, she was elected to the US Senate, defeating fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez in the general election. Harris has been a strong advocate for progressive causes during her time in the Senate, including criminal justice reform, immigration reform, and reproductive rights. She has also been a vocal critic of the Trump administration, particularly on issues of race and civil rights.
During her time in the Senate, Harris served on several committees, including the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Budget. She was also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. As a senator, Harris played a key role in negotiating a number of important pieces of legislation, including the First Step Act, which implemented criminal justice reforms, and the COVID-19 relief bill passed in response to the global pandemic.
Harris has been a prominent figure in California politics for many years and has built a strong reputation as a progressive leader. Her tenure as a senator was marked by her commitment to social justice and her willingness to confront powerful interests on behalf of her constituents. She has been an outspoken advocate for California's diverse communities, including its large population of immigrants and people of color, and has worked to advance policies that address the unique challenges facing the state, such as the high cost of housing and the threat of climate change.
Harris' experience as a senator from California has informed her current role as vice president. She brings a deep understanding of the issues facing one of the most populous and diverse states in the country, as well as a strong record of achievement in addressing those issues. Her time in the Senate also provided her with valuable experience in negotiating and legislating, skills that she now employs in her work with Congress to advance the Biden administration's agenda.
Blackrock's Political Donations: Campaigns and Contributions
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris is a Democrat.
Harris served as the junior senator from California from 2017 to 2021 and was the first Black woman to hold this position. She also served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. In 2020, she became the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American vice president of the United States. Harris was the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election but lost to the Republican nominees.
Harris's 2024 campaign focused on reproductive rights, democracy over autocracy, and tackling the cost of living. She also supported a bipartisan bill, the S.4361 - Border Act of 2024, that would have funded additional border agents and closed the border if it was too crowded.
CNN described Harris's voting record in the Senate as "certainly one of the most liberal". However, they also noted that her record before her Senate tenure was more moderate on some issues.
Harris is currently a private citizen after losing the 2024 presidential election.
