Omar Bennett
Kamala Harris, the first woman of colour to be Vice President of the United States, has been a prominent figure in American politics for several years. Harris, who served as Vice President to Joe Biden, aspired to be the first female president of the United States in the 2024 election. However, she lost to Donald Trump. Despite this setback, Harris remains an influential figure in the Democratic Party and is reportedly considering a run for governor of California in 2026. Harris's political career and aspirations have sparked interest and debate, with many speculating about her future plans and the potential impact she could have on American politics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current Position | Vice President |
| Presidential Aspirations | Yes |
| Current Political Campaign | Kamala Harris for President |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Political Career | District Attorney, Senator, Vice President |
| Political Focus | Gun violence, reproductive rights, healthcare costs, tax reform, homeownership |
| Election Results | Lost the 2024 election to Donald Trump |
| Future Plans | Mulling a run for California governor and a 2028 presidential run |
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What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign
Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, announced her 2024 presidential campaign on July 21, 2024, the same day that incumbent President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for reelection and endorsed her. Harris became the Democratic Party nominee on August 5, 2024, and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate the following day.
Harris's campaign platform included support for national abortion protections, LGBTQ+ rights, stricter gun control, and addressing climate change. She also supported federal cannabis legalization, strengthening voting rights, and federal funding for housing. On economic issues, Harris proposed a "populist" agenda, including lowering taxes for middle-class families while increasing taxes on the wealthy.
Harris's campaign used social media and digital advertising to reach voters, particularly younger voters, with memes and music. They also emphasized her experience as a prosecutor and her work on border security. Notable endorsements for Harris included Puerto Rican musicians Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, and LeBron James.
However, Harris faced opposition from some Arab Americans due to her stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Her campaign also struggled against Donald Trump's well-funded and aggressive advertising strategy, which included a controversial ad attacking her support for transgender rights.
Despite the challenges, Harris's campaign raised a significant amount of money, with records showing $671 million in donations over two months. Unfortunately, the sources do not indicate whether Harris won the 2024 presidential election.
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Kamala Harris's political career
Kamala Harris, born in Oakland, California, in 1964, has had a long political career. She studied political science and economics at Howard University and later obtained a law degree. Harris's first job in politics was as a deputy district attorney in Oakland, California, in 1990, where she prosecuted cases of murder, rape, assault, and drug offenses. She then served as the district attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011, becoming the first woman and the first African American to hold this position. During her time as district attorney, she focused on issues like domestic violence and gun violence and created innovative programs to help low-level, non-violent offenders get their lives back on track.
In 2011, Harris became California's attorney general, serving in this role until 2016, when she was elected to the U.S. Senate. She was the first Indian American to serve as a U.S. senator and only the second Black female senator. During her time in the Senate, she served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, working across party lines to protect national security. She also oversaw the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
In 2020, Harris announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination but later withdrew from the race. That same year, she was chosen by then-presidential nominee Joe Biden to be his running mate, making history as the first African American, the first Asian American, and the third female vice-presidential candidate on a major-party ticket. Harris served as vice president from 2021 to 2025, becoming the first woman to hold this office.
In 2024, Harris again sought the Democratic nomination for president, becoming the first woman of colour in US history to be a major-party presidential nominee. Her campaign raised a record-breaking amount of money, and she received endorsements from celebrities and political icons. However, she ultimately lost the general election to Donald Trump. Despite the loss, Harris has continued to be a prominent figure, with her boisterous laughter and witty sense of humour being some of her defining traits.
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Kamala Harris's personal life
Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, served 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, making her the highest-ranking female and Asian-American official in U.S. history. Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, to Shyamala Gopalan, a biologist, and Donald J. Harris, an economics doctoral student from Jamaica. Her mother, who arrived in the United States from India in 1958, was a close friend of African-American intellectuals and activists in Oakland and Berkeley. Her parents met in 1962 as part of a Black student group at the University of California, Berkeley, and married in 1963. The family lived in Berkeley until they moved around Kamala's second birthday in 1966. They lived for a few years in college towns in the Midwest, where her parents held teaching or research positions.
Harris's parents divorced when she was seven years old, and she was raised primarily by her mother, although she spent weekends with her father in Palo Alto. Harris and her sister, Maya, maintained close contact with their Indian family and frequently travelled to Chennai, the capital of the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Harris has referred to her time at Howard University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in political science and economics, as her "formative years," where she discovered her passion for politics and debate. She worked a summer job at McDonald's while attending Howard. After graduating, she began her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County, later becoming the district attorney of San Francisco.
Harris has broken barriers throughout her political career, becoming the first African-American and first woman to serve as California's attorney general in 2011. She represented California in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021, and in 2020, she made history again as the first Black woman and Asian-American to run for vice president on a major party ticket. Harris's boisterous laughter has been described as one of her most defining and dissected traits, which she attributes to her mother. She is married to lawyer Doug Emhoff and is a stepmother to his two children, Cole and Ella.
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Kamala Harris's vice presidency
Kamala Harris served as the Vice President of the United States from 2021 to 2024. She was the first woman to hold the office, as well as the first black female and first Asian-American vice president. Harris was elected alongside President Joe Biden in 2020, defeating the incumbent president, Donald Trump, and vice president, Mike Pence.
Harris was born in Oakland, California, in 1964. She was raised in a middle-class family by a working mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who instilled in her the value of hard work. Harris decided at a young age that she wanted to pursue a career fighting for vulnerable people. She attended Howard University for her undergraduate degree and worked a summer job at McDonald's. After graduating, she became a prosecutor, specialising in cases of child sexual abuse. She then went on to win the election as district attorney, taking on issues like domestic violence and gun violence, and increasing the conviction rate to put rapists and murderers behind bars.
Harris first sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019 but withdrew from the race before the primaries. In 2020, Biden selected her as his running mate. As vice president, Harris led the fight to bring down healthcare costs, oversaw the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and advanced America's interests on the world stage. She also worked to protect women's access to healthcare and restore reproductive freedom after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In addition, she cast a deciding vote to lower drug prices and cap insulin prices for seniors, and she passed legislation to expand this policy for all Americans.
In 2024, Harris launched her own presidential campaign after Biden withdrew his candidacy. She became the first black female presidential nominee and selected Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. However, she ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, former president Trump, and Ohio senator JD Vance.
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Kamala Harris's future political prospects
Kamala Harris, the first woman vice president of the United States, has had a long and impressive political career. Harris, who served as vice president under Joe Biden, aspires to become the first female president of the United States. Her journey to the top has been described as unique, challenging, and full of difficult questions. Harris's political career began as a prosecutor, specialising in cases of child sexual abuse. She then went on to become the district attorney for Alameda County and San Francisco, taking on issues like domestic violence and gun violence. As vice president, Harris has led the fight to bring down healthcare costs, lower drug prices, and protect women's access to healthcare. She has also overseen the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and worked to strengthen America's position on the world stage.
Harris's presidential campaign in 2024, however, faced some challenges. Despite raising a significant amount of money in donations and having top talent from the Obama operation, she was unable to secure the Democratic nomination. There were reports of struggles within her campaign, and ultimately, she was defeated by Donald Trump in the general election.
Looking forward, Harris is seriously considering a run for governor of California and has given herself a deadline of the end of the summer to decide. A win in this race would position her as the first Black woman to be governor in America and the chief executive of the fifth-largest economy in the world. While a successful gubernatorial bid would likely take a 2028 presidential run off the table, Harris maintains significant leads in early national polls and continues to make public appearances, indicating that she sees a future as a leader in the Democratic Party.
Harris's political prospects remain strong, and her impact on American politics is undeniable. Her campaign for the presidency, though ultimately unsuccessful, re-energised liberal voters and broke barriers as the first Black female presidential nominee. As she continues to make public appearances and engage in political conversations, Harris's influence and impact on the Democratic Party and American politics are sure to continue.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris was the 2024 Democratic nominee for president, but she lost the election to Donald Trump.
Kamala Harris is the former vice president of the United States and is currently considering a run for governor of California.
Kamala Harris' vision for America included lowering taxes for middle-class families, strengthening social security, and restoring reproductive freedom.
Kamala Harris planned to continue the fight to restore reproductive freedom and protect women's access to healthcare by guaranteeing the right to abortion nationwide. She also wanted to lower drug prices and cap insulin prices for seniors.
