How well does Harris know her running mate choices?
By Alex Gangitano Vice President Harris and her team are interviewing running mate candidates before she announces her pick next week, and the top choices all have established relationships with Harris, which could influence her decision. In her time as attorney general of California, U.S. senator and vice president, Harris has gotten to know those who have been identified as front-runners to join her on the Democratic ticket: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The campaign has also vetted Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Harris has worked with them all. âShe needs to find someone she vibes with. Who can help
Harris campaign announces $50 million ad buy ahead of Democratic convention
By Brett Samuels The Harris campaign on Tuesday announced it would spend $50 million on advertising in the weeks ahead of the Democratic National Convention and unveiled its first ad since the vice president became the partyâs likely nominee. The campaign announced the ad titled âFearlessâ will be the first in a series of paid media efforts ahead of the convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago. The 60-second ad touts Harrisâs record as a prosecutor and California attorney general, as well as her work as vice president in the Biden administration. âThis campaign is about who we fight for,â Harris says
New Georgia law makes voter intimidation easier, critics say; affects Black voters most
By Maya Homan Candace Smith did everything right. During the May 2024 state primary in Georgia, the Atlanta attorney voted early, giving herself time to sort out any issues that might occur and ensure that her vote would be counted. But on Election Day, when she went to check her ballot status online, a warning popped up. Someone had submitted a challenge to her voter registration status. âI found it shocking,â Smith said, adding that she has been an active voter in Fulton County for decades, and that the challenge did not include any reason or evidence. âNothing about it made any sense.â
Why Joe Biden Couldnât Hold Back on Supreme Court Reform Any Longer
By Sherrilyn Ifill On Monday, President Joe Biden ended his resistance to calls for Supreme Court reform, announcing in the final months of his presidency his own proposal to reform the court. For years, Biden refused to join leading Democrats and many scholars of the court who had embraced the concept of expanding the Supreme Court, imposing terms limits, or otherwise restraining the power of an increasingly muscular and reckless conservative majority on the court. A wave of ethical scandals involving undisclosed lavish trips and gifts provided to multiple conservative members of the court, along with the open support by
How Some States Are Making It Harder to Register Voters
By Michael Wines LaVon Bracy has been registering Florida voters ever since Lyndon Johnson signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act, because she wanted, she said, to give others the voice she was denied as a Black student in a largely white high school. In an average year, she said, the nonprofit Faith in Florida, where she serves as democracy director, used to add 12,000 new voters to the stateâs rolls. That ended last year, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that imposed tough new rules on voter registration drives in the name of stopping fraud â and made voter registration groups
Biden the Education President.
By Katherine Knott President Biden will not seek re-election, he announced Sunday. The news capped weeks of debate about his ability to defeat former president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and spelled the imminent end of a White House tenure that has been filled with ambitious plans to forgive student loans and make higher education work better for students. âIt has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,â Biden wrote in a letter posted on social media. âAnd while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my
Leading Black PAC investing 7 figures to turn out vote
By Chayenne M. Daniels One of the leading Black political action committees has announced a seven-figure push to mobilize Black voters ahead of Novemberâs critical election. In a memo shared exclusively with The Hill, Rolling Sea Action Fund and the nonprofit Let It Resound said they are targeting Black voters in House races in Akron, Ohio; Flint, Mich.; Omaha, Neb.; Raleigh, N.C.; Hempstead, N.Y.; Virginia Beach, Va.; and Las Vegas. House races in those areas, the groups said, are key to securing Democratic control of the lower chamber of Congress. âThis is a part of a seven-figure push to ensure
Harris raised $200 million in first week of White House campaign and signed up 170,000 volunteers
By Aamer Madhani Vice President Kamala Harrisâ campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee last week, an eyepopping haul in her race against the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. The campaign, which announced its latest fundraising total on Sunday, said the bulk of the donations â 66% â comes from first-time contributors in the 2024 election cycle and were made after President Joe Biden announced his exit from the race and endorsed Harris. Over 170,000 volunteers have also signed up to help the Harris campaign with phone banking, canvassing and other get-out-the-vote efforts. Election Day is 100
Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris: ‘This is going to be historic.’
By Swapna Venugopal It took six days, but Barack Obama said yes. A long-awaited endorsement from former President Obama for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic partyâs nominee for president finally arrived on Friday. While Harris had racked up a series of endorsements since President Joe Biden withdrew from his reelection bid after his debacle of a debate performance, Obama was the last prominent Democrat who hadn’t weighed in. In a video endorsement released Friday, Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are shown calling Harris together to offer their support. âAw. Hi, youâre both together! Oh, itâs good to hear you both,â says Harris, dressed
Harris Has Championed Loan Forgiveness, For-Profit Crackdowns and Free College
By Katherine Knott President Bidenâs decision Sunday to drop his re-election bid cleared the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket. Itâs not yet clear how, or how much, a President Harris might differ from Biden on higher education policy. Like most vice presidents, sheâs generally been in lockstep with the president and championed their administrationâs policies. Sheâs pushed its efforts to forgive student loans and make payments more affordable for borrowers. As a senator, she signed on to legislation to make community college free (also a Biden proposal) and help colleges