Isabella Carter
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She was the first female U.S. vice president and the first African-American and Asian-American vice president. Harris sought the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but withdrew before the primaries. She was selected as Joe Biden's running mate, and they defeated the incumbent president and vice president, Trump and Mike Pence, in the 2020 election. In 2024, Harris launched her own presidential campaign and became the Democratic nominee, but she lost the election to Trump. Harris has hinted that she wants to stay involved in politics and is considering a 2028 presidential run.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kamala Devi Harris |
| Date of Birth | October 20, 1964 |
| Parents | Shyamala Gopalan and Donald J. Harris |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Profession | Attorney, Politician |
| Previous Positions | Vice President of the United States, United States Senator from California, Attorney General of California |
| Presidential Candidate | 2024 |
| Running Mate | Minnesota Governor Tim Walz |
| Presidential Campaign Outcome | Lost to Republican nominees, former President Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance |
| Current Plans | Hints at staying involved in politics and foreign affairs |
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What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign
On July 21, 2024, Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, announced her 2024 campaign for president. This was 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, following a virtual roll call vote. She 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 legislation to address climate change. She also supported federal cannabis legalization, strengthening voting rights, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and federal funding of housing. Harris's stance on economic issues differed from Biden's, and she proposed what was described as a "populist" economic agenda.
Harris's campaign utilized social media platforms like X and Instagram, with the handle @KamalaHQ, to reach younger voters. They posted memes and changed their banner to imitate the cover art for the album "Brat" to market Harris as a "cool girl". The campaign also released several ads, including a digital ad featuring Beyoncé's song "Freedom" and bilingual ads in English and Spanish targeting Latino voters in battleground states.
In the lead-up to the election, Harris received endorsements from several notable figures, including Puerto Rican musicians Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Luis Fonsi, Ricky Martin, and Don Omar, as well as LeBron James. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed his preference for Harris, citing the potential to strengthen democracy in the US.
Despite a strong campaign, Harris ultimately lost the 2024 presidential election to the Republican nominees, former President Donald Trump, and Ohio Senator JD Vance. Harris conceded the election in a speech at her alma mater, Howard University. She lost the electoral college 226 to 312 and the popular vote by a slim margin of 48.3% to 49.8%. Losses in key states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, as well as swing states, contributed to her defeat.
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Harris's vice presidency
Kamala Harris 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, making her the highest-ranking female and Asian-American official in U.S. history. Harris's vice presidency began with an evenly split U.S. Senate, and she cast 33 tie-breaking votes, more than any other vice president in history. She voted to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Harris's political career began in 2011 when she became the attorney general of California, a position she held until 2016. In 2015, she announced her intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat in California, which she won in 2016, becoming the second African-American woman and the first South Asian-American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. Harris also served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, working across party lines to protect national security.
In 2019, Harris sought the Democratic nomination for president but withdrew from the race before the primaries. She was then selected by Biden as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election, which they won. As vice president, Harris has focused on issues such as lowering drug prices, expanding reproductive freedom, and addressing gun violence. She has also worked to strengthen NATO and advance America's interests on the world stage.
In July 2024, after Biden withdrew his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, Harris launched her own campaign and became the Democratic nominee. She 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. Despite this loss, Harris has generated buzz for a potential 2028 presidential run, with early polls showing her dominance among Democratic rivals.
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Harris's 2028 presidential run
Kamala Devi Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president of the United States, has hinted that she will stay involved in politics after leaving the vice president's office. While she has not disclosed any specific plans, there is speculation that Harris is considering a 2028 presidential run. Early polls show her dominating a field of potential Democratic rivals, although her advisers expect a tough race for the Democratic nomination.
Harris, who served as vice president from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden, previously sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but withdrew before the primaries. She then became Biden's running mate, and they won the 2020 election. In July 2024, after Biden withdrew his candidacy for re-election, Harris launched her own presidential campaign and became the Democratic nominee. She ultimately lost the 2024 election to former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
Harris's 2024 presidential campaign was not without controversy. She faced criticism for her statements about tax-funded gender-affirming surgery for transgender people in prison, which Trump attacked in a political advertisement. Additionally, according to the Vote Above Replacement (VAR) metric, Harris underperformed compared to a typical Democratic candidate in several states.
Despite the challenges of her 2024 campaign, Harris is reportedly considering another bid for the presidency in 2028. However, some have suggested that she may first run for governor of California in 2026, as current Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and cannot run for re-election. Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has stated that if Harris runs for president again, she needs to be a lot better candidate and provide clear reasons for voters to choose her.
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Harris's potential run for governor in 2026
Kamala Harris, the former vice president of the United States, is seriously considering a run for governor of California in 2026. Harris has stated that she will decide whether to enter the race by the end of the summer. A win in California's gubernatorial election would likely take a 2028 presidential run off the table for Harris, who is still mulling over that possibility.
Harris has long been intrigued by the prospect of becoming the chief executive of California, the fifth-largest economy in the world, and the first Black woman to be governor in America. She has maintained significant leads in early national polls of the field of possible candidates for the 2026 gubernatorial race. However, some have noted that she would need to be a better candidate than she was in the 2024 presidential election, in which she lost to former President Donald Trump and conceded the day after the election.
Harris's potential run for governor has already caused a stir in California's political landscape. Several Democratic candidates in the 2026 field for governor are reportedly seeking other options, anticipating that Harris would clear the field if she runs. State Attorney General Rob Bonta has stated that he will not run for governor and would endorse Harris if she chooses to enter the race. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a close ally of Harris, would also likely stand aside and focus on another statewide race.
Harris's public appearances and activities since leaving office indicate that she intends to remain politically active and seeks a future as a leader in the Democratic Party. She has kept several of her most senior and trusted aides, such as chief of staff Sheila Nix and senior advisers Kirsten Allen and Ike Irby, under her newly formed organization, Pioneer49. Harris has also made notable public appearances, such as at the NAACP Image Awards to accept the Chairman's prize, and has participated in events in early primary states like Las Vegas, keeping her name in the national conversation.
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Harris's political career
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. Harris is a member of the Democratic Party and was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election. 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, in 1964. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who immigrated to the United States from India in 1958 to pursue graduate studies in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her father, Donald J. Harris, is an Afro-Jamaican who immigrated to the United States in 1961 and also enrolled at UC Berkeley, specialising in development economics. Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She began her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County.
Harris served as a United States senator representing California from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, she served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. In 2019, she sought the Democratic presidential nomination but withdrew from the race before the primaries. In 2020, Biden selected her as his running mate, and they went on to defeat the incumbent president, Donald Trump, and vice president, Mike Pence, in the 2020 presidential election.
As vice president, Harris 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. She also made history as the first vice president to be a woman, African-American, and Asian-American.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris was the Democratic Party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
Kamala Harris served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She was the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American vice president. Harris also served as a United States senator representing California from 2017 to 2021 and as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.
Kamala Harris selected Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election to former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance.
Kamala Harris has hinted that she wants to stay involved in politics, and there is speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. However, some of her longtime supporters are lukewarm on the idea.
