US election race: Key Democratic donors rally behind Harris

Key donors have thrown their weight behind US Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's new nominee in the 2024 US presidential election after the current president, Joe Biden, ended his reelection bid. 

On Sunday, Biden, 81, said in the "best interest of my party and the country" I drop out of the US presidential election and endorse Harris as the party's new nominee.

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers had called on Biden to end his reelection bid due to concerns about his old age and mental decline following a disastrous June debate against Donald Trump. Biden said by pulling out of the race he was bowing to weeks of pressure from fellow Democrats.

Biden's endorsement of Harris on Sunday was swiftly followed by the influential Congressional Black Caucus and various lawmakers, as well as several key donors and super PACs including Priorities USA and Unite the Country.

Biden announces he will 'stand down' from re-election bid

US President Joe Biden announces he will "stand down" from his re-election bid in 2024 US presidential race.

Following Biden's stunning move that upended an already extraordinary 2024 race for the White House, Dmitri Mehlhorn, an adviser to Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn founder, and a major Democratic donor, called Harris “the American dream personified,” noting she is the daughter of immigrants.

“She is also toughness personified, rising from my hometown of Oakland California to become the top prosecutor of the state. With Scranton Joe stepping back, I cannot wait to help elect President Harris,” Mehlhorn said.

Chad Griffin, a member of the campaign’s national finance committee and a top Democratic fundraiser in the Los Angeles area, said the party is lucky to have Harris. “She’s the trusted, tested leader we need to carry us to victory in November,” he said in a statement.

The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue said that small-dollar donors had contributed nearly $47 million in the first few hours after Harris announced her candidacy. “Grassroots supporters are energized and excited to support her as the Democratic nominee,” the group said on X, formerly Twitter.

US Democrats ramp up calls for Biden to drop out of 2024 election race

Top Democratic leaders have increased pressure on US President Joe Biden to drop out of the race for reelection amid worries about his chances against Republican opponent Donald Trump.

While it is still possible that another Democratic could emerge instead of Biden, Trump's camp has already started preparing a plan on how he should compete with the younger female Harris in the upcoming election.

Trump's team started their attacks by linking Harris to the Biden administration’s failures, saying she is complicit in everything that occurred under Biden’s watch. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, said Biden had been “the worst President in my lifetime” and that Harris “has been right there with him every step of the way”.

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