Joe Biden has named California senator Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate, a historic choice he believes will bolster his chances of beating Donald Trump in an election year shaped by the global coronavirus pandemic and a national reckoning on race.
Harris, a barrier-breaking former prosecutor, is the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, and is the first Black woman and the first Asian American to run on a major party ticket.
“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” Biden announced on Twitter.
His campaign manager, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon added: “Ready to make history, change the world, and win.”
The decision is of great consequence, not only for Democrats’ immediate political prospects but for the future of the party.