US Vice President Kamala Harris, endorsed by Joe Biden to be a new Democratic presidential nominee, has said that she intends to “earn and win” the nomination of the party and “do everything in my power” to unite the nation to defeat her Republican rival Donald Trump in November. Harris, who received Biden’s support to become the next Democratic presidential nominee after he quit the race for the White House, is poised to become the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead the ticket of a major American political party.

 

Harris, 59, said she was “honoured” to receive Biden’s endorsement and intends to “earn and win” the nomination of the Democratic Party. “I am honoured to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she said in a statement. The historic endorsement came after Biden, 81, announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the race following weeks of disarray within the Democratic Party. Biden’s disastrous first presidential debate with his Republican rival and former President Trump called into question his ability to win a second term and govern for another four years.

 

Despite Biden’s backing, it remains unclear whether Harris will become the nominee, or what process the Democratic Party would take to select an alternative. Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said in a statement that in the coming days the party will “undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”