Kamala Harris Accepts DNC Nomination

In lieu of President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted the DNC nomination to take his place (Lawrence Jackson, Wikimedia Commons)

President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, necessitating a new Democratic candidate. In order to receive the Democratic National Committee (DNC) nomination, a candidate would need a minimum of 300 delegate votes to be on the ballot. This year's Democratic Party nomination process includes a "Virtual Roll Call," allowing delegates to vote electronically from their home. This led to Harris receiving 4,563 delegate votes out of 4,615 votes on the ballot, meaning that about 99 percent of delegates voted for Kamala Harris to be their democratic candidate for the 2024 election.

On August 23, 2024, Kamala Harris made history by officially accepting the DNC nomination for vice president, a pivotal moment in the 2024 election cycle. She is the first woman of South Asian and African American origin nominated for this position by a major political party.

Tim Walz

Kamala Haris had two weeks after being endorsed by the DNC to choose her vice president. Her final three nominees were Tim Walz, Josh Shapiro, and Mark Kelly. Out of the three, Harris chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. According to NBC News, several Democratic Party members often referred to Tim Walz as “plain spoken." In other words, he is considered to be someone who can reach out and engage with others while also unifying the party. They consider him a valuable asset to Harris' campaign and their efforts to defeat former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Tim Walz is a politician, a former school teacher, and a retired U.S. noncommissioned officer. As Governor of Minnesota, he prioritized education, healthcare, and economic development. During his time in Congress, he advocated for educational equality, improved access to high-quality education, and increased resources for students.

As a retired command sergeant major in the United States Army National Guard, he utilized his resources to advocate for increased veterans' healthcare benefits. During his tenure, he passed the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act.

Kamala’s Policies

Kamala Harris has worked to lower healthcare costs, improve access to medical services, and address inequalities in health outcomes, including her strong support for the Affordable Care Act. Many of her stances on healthcare issues were similar to those of President Biden, but she plans to enact legislation that Biden has not endorsed. One example is her single-payer healthcare system. Harris has proposed a gradual implementation of the system, allowing time for a smooth transition from the current healthcare framework to the single-payer model. This also implies that newborns are immediately included in healthcare, giving doctors more time to decide when they should enter the system.

During Kamala Harris' speech at the DNC, she stated, “We know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in 'Project 2025,' written by his closest advisors. And its sum total is to pull our country back into the past. But America, we are not going back. We are not going back to when Donald Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare. We are not going back to when he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.”

Kamala’s Foreign Policy Outlook

Harris’ foreign policy plan has focused on countering global authoritarianism and restoring alliances. Her main focus to fix this issue is centered around multilateralism and international relationships, which she states had been damaged during the Trump administration. She has promised to cooperate with allies to combat issues such as climate change, the global refugee crisis, and nuclear proliferation.

Kamala Harris has pushed for the U.S. to maintain an active role within international institutions, such as NATO and the United Nations. She stresses the importance of diplomacy as an essential tool and also displays the importance of using military force when needed to protect U.S. interests.

In addition, Harris takes a firm and balanced view of China. She has clearly emphasized the need for a firm response to China’s growing influence on issues such as trade, cybersecurity, and human rights. She also emphasizes the ongoing need for open communication with China to prevent escalating tensions.

Harris has held a firm commitment to human rights and issues regarding this topic. When Harris was enacted as a senator, she pushed for U.S. support for democratic movements abroad, including areas such as Hong Kong and Venezuela. Harris has also supported a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has also called for a balanced approach to this issue which respects Palestine’s sovereignty and Israel’s security interests.