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Kamala Harris

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This article is about the Vice President of the United States. For the wrestler, see Kamala (wrestler).
Kamala Harris
Official portrait, 2021
49th Vice President of the United States
Assumed office
January 20, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byMike Pence
Succeeded byJD Vance (elect)
United States Senator
from California
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 18, 2021
Preceded byBarbara Boxer
Succeeded byAlex Padilla
32nd Attorney General of California
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017
GovernorJerry Brown
Preceded byJerry Brown
Succeeded byXavier Becerra
27th District Attorney of San Francisco
In office
January 8, 2004 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byTerence Hallinan
Succeeded byGeorge Gascón
Personal details
Born
Kamala Devi Harris[a]

(1964-10-20) October 20, 1964 (age 60)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2014)​
Children2 stepchildren, including Ella
Parents
ResidenceNumber One Observatory Circle
Education
Profession
  • politician
  • attorney
  • author
SignatureCursive signature in ink
Websitewhitehouse.gov
Harris's voice
Harris speaks on the American with Disabilities Act
Recorded July 26, 2021

Kamala Devi Harris (KAH-mə-lə; born October 20, 1964)[2][3] is an American politician and attorney. Since 2021, she has been the 49th vice president of the United States under President Joe Biden. She is the first woman ever in U.S. history elected to this office. Before becoming vice president, she was a junior United States senator from California from 2017 to 2021.[4] A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 32nd attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017 and the 27th district attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.[5][6] Harris was the Democratic Party's presidential nominee in the 2024 presidential election.[7]

On January 21, 2019, Harris announced her candidacy for president in the 2020 election. She ended her campaign on December 3, 2019. After Joe Biden won the nomination, he picked Harris as his running mate for vice president.[8] They won the election on November 7 and were inaugurated on January 20, 2021. This made Harris the highest ranking elected woman in American history. Harris is also the first South Asian and Jamaican American vice president.

On July 21, 2024, after Joe Biden ended his campaign for president, Harris started her own presidential campaign.[9] In November 2024, she lost the election to former President Donald Trump.[10]

Early life and education

Harris was born at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in Oakland, California.[11][12][13] She is Tamil Indian American and Jamaican American. Her parents are Shyamala Gopalan Harris and Donald J. Harris. Both Shyamala and Donald Harris studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Harris' parents divorced in 1971. In 1976, Harris moved to Canada with her mother and sister, Maya. Harris went to college at Howard University in 1986 and got a degree in political science.

In 1989, Harris became a lawyer after studying at Hastings College of Law at the University of California. She worked in the office of the District Attorney of Alameda in 1990. In 1998, Harris left to work for the District Attorney’s office in San Francisco. In 2003, Harris became the District Attorney of San Francisco.

She worked as the attorney general of California until 2017 when she became a senator for California.[14]

At the start of 2016, Harris said that she would attempt to become senator after Barbara Boxer said that she would not work as a senator for the next term. Harris won the position in 2016 and became a senator on January 3, 2017.[15]

2020 presidential campaign

See the main article: Kamala Harris 2020 presidential campaign

On January 21, 2019, she officially announced her campaign for president in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.[16] After months of falling polling numbers and low campaign money raised, she ended her campaign on December 3, 2019.[17]

On August 11, 2020, Biden picked Harris as his running mate. On November 7, the Biden-Harris ticket beat the Trump-Pence ticket making her the vice president-elect.[18][19][20]

Vice President (2021–present)

Harris became the 49th vice president of the United States on January 20, 2021.[21] She is the first female vice president in the United States, the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history, and the first Indian Asian-American vice president.[22][23] She is also the second person of color to hold the post. The first was Charles Curtis, who was a Native American and member of the Kaw Nation.[24]

Harris and German chancellor Angela Merkel, July 2021

Harris cast her first of two tie-breaking votes on February 5, 2021. In February and March, Harris' tie-breaking votes in her role as President of the Senate were needed to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 stimulus package proposed by President Biden because no Republicans in the Senate voted for the package.[25][26]

In April 2021, Harris said that she was the last person in the room before President Biden decided to remove all U.S. troops from Afghanistan and commented that the president was brave for making this "difficult decision".[27]

Biden put Harris in charge of immigration. Harris visited Guatemala and Mexico to see why there was an increase in immigration, mainly from Central America to the United States.[28] During her visit, she said "I want to be clear to folks in the region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come".[29]

On September 24, 2021, Republican United States Representative Lauren Boebert introduced a resolution to impeach Harris over her support for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.[30] On November 19, 2021, Harris served as acting president from 10:10 am to 11:35 am while President Biden underwent a "routine colonoscopy".[31] Harris became the third vice president as well as the first female vice president to serve as acting president.[32][33]

On June 12, 2023, Republican Representative Andy Ogles introduced a resolution to impeach Harris for the Biden administration's handling of security at the United States–Mexico border. It is co-sponsored by Republicans Lauren Boebert and Mary Miller.[34]

In December 2023, Harris broke the record for the most tie-breaking votes cast by a vice president casting her 32nd vote, passing John C. Calhoun, who cast 31 votes during his nearly eight years as vice president, in less than half the time.[35][36]

On July 23, 2024, Republican Representative Andy Ogles introduced a second resolution to impeach Harris for the betrayal of the public trust for not removing Joe Biden from office and failing in her duties as “border czar.”[37] [38]

2024 presidential campaign

Main articles: 2024 United States presidential election and Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign

On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden ended his campaign for reelection in 2024 and supported Harris for president.[39] Harris was also supported by Jimmy Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama, and many others.[40][41][42][43] In the first 24 hours of her candidacy, her campaign raised $81 million in small-dollar donations, the highest single-day total of any presidential candidate in history.[44] If elected, she would have been the first female and first Asian-American president of the United States, and first Jamaican-American.[45] By August 5, she had officially won the nomination and the next day, she announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate.[46] On November 5, Harris and Walz lost the general election to the Trump-Vance ticket.

Personal life

In 2014, Harris married lawyer Doug Emhoff. Emhoff and Harris have homes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.[47]

Awards and honors

In 2020, both Harris and Biden were named Time Person of the Year.[48]

Notes

  1. ↑ Harris was originally named Kamala Iyer Harris by her parents, who two weeks later filed an affidavit by which her middle name was changed to Devi.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Debolt, David (August 18, 2020). "Here's Kamala Harris' birth certificate. Scholars say there's no VP eligibility debate". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Kamala Harris | Biography, Policies, Family, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  3. ↑ "Kamala Harris - Politics, Family & Age". Biography. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  4. ↑ Wright, Jasmine; Duster, Chandelis (January 18, 2021). "Harris resigns from the Senate ahead of inauguration". CNN. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  5. ↑ Shenkman, Kenneth (2018). "Harris, Kamala". World Book Advanced. Retrieved May 8, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  6. ↑ "Kamala Harris". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  7. ↑ Salahieh, Antoinette Radford, Michelle Shen, Maureen Chowdhury, Elise Hammond, Jack Forrest, Zoe Sottile, Ashley R. Williams, Adrienne Vogt, Lucy Bayly, Kathleen Magramo, Tami Luhby, Nouran (2024-07-21). "July 21, 2024, presidential campaign news | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2024-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ "Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate". August 11, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Harris says she will "earn and win" Democratic nomination". CNN. July 21, 2024. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Election Live Updates: Trump Declares Victory as He Wins Pennsylvania". The New York Times. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ "What California Knows About Kamala Harris". North Coast Journal. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  12. ↑ "Here's Kamala Harris' birth certificate. Scholars say there's no VP eligibility debate". The Mercury News. 2020-08-18. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  13. ↑ Sharma, Dr Gopal (2021-03-18). Kamala D. Harris : Biography of Inspirational Personality. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-93-90960-42-2.
  14. ↑ Newsmakers (2017). "Kamala Harris". Student Resources In Context. Retrieved May 8, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  15. ↑ "Kamala D. Harris". Biography in Context. March 8, 2017. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  16. ↑ Reston, Maeve (January 21, 2019). "Kamala Harris to run for president in 2020". CNN.
  17. ↑ Cadelago, Christopher (December 3, 2019). "Kamala Harris drops out of presidential race". Politico. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  18. ↑ Zeleny, Jeff; Merica, Dan; Saenz, Arlette (August 11, 2020). "Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate". CNN.
  19. ↑ "Joe Biden selects California Sen. Kamala Harris as running mate". tampabay.com. Associated Press. August 11, 2020. selecting the first African American woman and South Asian American to compete on a major party's presidential ticket
  20. ↑ Stafford, Kat (August 12, 2020). "Kamala Harris' selection as VP resonates with Black women". Associated Press. making her the first Black woman on a major party's presidential ticket ... It also marks the first time a person of Asian descent is on the presidential ticket.
  21. ↑ Tensley, Brandon; Wright, Jasmine (November 7, 2020). "Harris bursts through another barrier, becoming the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president-elect". CNN. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ Horowitz, Juliana Menasce; Budiman, Abby (2020-08-18). "Key findings about multiracial identity in the U.S. as Harris becomes vice presidential nominee". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  23. ↑ McEvoy, Jemima (2020-11-07). "Kamala Harris Makes History As First Female, Black, Asian American Vice President". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  24. ↑ Solender, Andrew (August 12, 2020). "Here Are The 'Firsts' Kamala Harris Represents With VP Candidacy". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020. Harris would not be the first person of color to serve as vice president. That honor belongs to Charles Curtis, President Herbert Hoover's No. 2.
  25. ↑ Segers, Grace (February 5, 2021). "Senate passes $1.9 trillion COVID relief resolution after all-night 'vote-a-rama'". CBS News.
  26. ↑ Singh, Maanvi; Greve, Joan E.; Belam, Martin; McKernan, Bethan; Levine, Sam (March 5, 2021). "Kamala Harris breaks Senate tie to begin Covid relief package debate – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  27. ↑ Allie Bice (April 25, 2021). "Harris says she had key role in Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal decision". Politico. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  28. ↑ Egan, Lauren (7 June 2021). "Harris takes first steps onto world stage, into migration spotlight". NBC News.
  29. ↑ Rodriguez, Sabrina (7 June 2021). "Harris' blunt message in Guatemala: 'Do not come' to U.S." POLITICO.
  30. ↑ "H.Res.679 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for the high crimes and misdemeanors of betrayal of the public trust. Summary". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  31. ↑ Miller, Zeke (19 November 2021). "Biden to have routine colonoscopy, transfer power to Harris". Associated Press News. Bethesda: Associated Press. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  32. ↑ Feinberg, Andrew (19 November 2021). "'First woman president': Kamala Harris makes history when she briefly assumes powers of presidency during Biden procedure". The Independent. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  33. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (2021-11-19). "Kamala Harris takes on presidential role – briefly – as Biden has colonoscopy". the Guardian.
  34. ↑ "H.Res.494 - Impeaching Kamala Devi Harris, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors". Congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  35. ↑ "Votes to Break Ties in the Senate". senate.gov. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  36. ↑ Lebowitz, Megan; Thorp, Frank; Santaliz, Kate (December 5, 2023). "Vice President Harris breaks record for casting the most tie-breaking votes". NBC News. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Ogles Introduces Articles Of Impeachment Against Vice President Kamala Harris". Congressman Andy Ogles Press Release. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  38. ↑ Robertson, Nick. "Tennessee Republican files articles of impeachment against Harris". THE HILL. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  39. ↑ Samuels, Brett; Gangitano, Alex (July 21, 2024). "Biden Endorses Harris as Democratic Nominee After Ending His Candidacy". The Hill. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  40. ↑ Gamio, Lazaro; Keefe, John; Kim, June; McFadden, Alyce; Park, Andrew; Yourish, Karen (July 22, 2024). "Many Elected Democrats Quickly Endorsed Kamala Harris. See Who Did". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  41. ↑ Godfrey, Hayden; Blanco, Adrián; Perry, Kati; Dormido, Hannah; Lau, Eric (21 July 2024). "The Democrats who have endorsed Kamala Harris to replace Biden as nominee". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  42. ↑ Davis, Ebony (July 26, 2024). "Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris for president". CNN. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  43. ↑ Bluestein, Greg (August 3, 2024). "Jimmy Carters next goal is voting for Kamala Harris for president". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  44. ↑ Samuels, Brett (July 22, 2024). "Harris breaks 24-hour fundraising record after Biden drops out". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  45. ↑ Megerian, Chris (July 21, 2024). "Harris could become the first female president after years of breaking racial and gender barriers". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  46. ↑ Parnes, Amie; Samuels, Brett; Conradis, Brandon (August 6, 2024). "Harris picks Walz for vice president". The Hill. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  47. ↑ Bose, Debanjali (October 12, 2020). "Take a Look inside Kamala Harris's multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio, which includes property in California and Washington, DC". Business Insider. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  48. ↑ Alter, Charlotte (December 11, 2020). "2020 Person of the Year - Joe Biden and Kamala Harris". Time. Retrieved December 11, 2020.

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