Ladies and gentlemen, we have some significant political news as the race for the Democratic presidential nomination heats up. President Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his preferred successor, but the road to securing the nomination involves rallying enough delegate support. With the Democratic National Convention set to begin on August 19 in Chicago, the race is on for Harris to secure the necessary 1,986 delegates.
As of 2:15 p.m. on Monday, Harris had already secured pledges from 770 delegates. Close to 4,000 delegates will gather at the convention, with more than 3,800 of them initially won by Biden. These delegates are now free to vote for any candidate of their choice. Democratic National Committee rules require a candidate to have pledged support from at least 300 delegates to appear on the convention ballot.
Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett says she’s “not confident at all” in Kamala’s chances — because “behind closed doors,” Democrats are saying “it can’t be her.” Yikes! pic.twitter.com/VYixspTSXJ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 22, 2024
Harris has been actively reaching out to delegates to win their support, and several states have already pledged their delegates to her. Let’s take a closer look at the delegations that have backed Harris so far, in the order of their announcements:
Tennessee
The state’s Democratic delegates met during a conference call on Sunday and committed all 77 delegates to Harris.
South Carolina
Following a virtual meeting, all 55 of South Carolina’s pledged delegates endorsed Harris. South Carolina notably held the first Democratic primary this cycle, breaking from the traditional Iowa caucuses.
North Carolina
A group of 168 delegates in North Carolina voted unanimously to endorse Harris. State party chair Anderson Clayton expressed pride in the party’s unity.
New Hampshire
Twenty-five of New Hampshire’s delegates endorsed Harris after a Sunday meeting, expressing enthusiasm for the upcoming convention and campaign efforts.
Florida
Florida, the largest delegation so far, has pledged 224 delegates to Harris, marking a significant endorsement.
Louisiana
The state’s 48 pledged delegates coalesced behind Harris following a Sunday night call.
Guam
The territory’s 12 delegates voted to pledge their support for Harris, according to the state Democratic Party’s vice chair.
Kentucky
Governor Andy Beshear called on Kentucky’s 53 delegates to back Harris, which they did.
Pennsylvania
Following an emergency delegate conference call on Monday, all 159 of Pennsylvania’s delegates voted unanimously to support Harris.
Alaska
A spokesperson for Alaska Democrats confirmed that the state’s 15 delegates will vote for Harris at the DNC.
Wisconsin
The state’s Democratic chair announced that more than 90 percent of Wisconsin’s 95 delegates have pledged for Harris.
While Harris has garnered substantial support, the path to the nomination still requires navigating political uncertainties and potential challenges from within the party. There are notable exceptions among senior Democrats who have yet to endorse her, leaving the possibility of a serious challenge open.
