US Vice President Kamala Harris has the support of enough Democratic delegates to win the party’s nomination for president, according to CNN’s delegate estimate published on Monday night.
While endorsements from delegates continue to come in, Harris has now been backed by well more than the 1,976 pledged delegates she’ll need to win the nomination on the first ballot, according to the network.
Harris crossed the threshold amid a wave of endorsements from state delegations Monday evening, though these endorsements are not binding and with President Joe Biden out of the race, delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice.
Under a plan outlined by Democratic officials Monday, delegates are expected to vote to confirm Harris as the nominee before August 7.
Harris issued a statement on Sunday, after President Biden announced that he was withdrawing from the Presidential race ahead of the November election.
In her statement, Harris thanked Biden for endorsing her and declared her intention to win the Democratic Party’s nomination.
"I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party-and unite our nation-to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda," she said.
Biden had earlier on Sunday announced his decision to drop out of the US presidential race, allowing his party to select another candidate to face off against former US President Donald Trump in November.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden wrote in a letter. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
Following his announcement, Biden endorsed Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate for the presidency.