Former Vice President Joe Biden named his former campaign trail rival, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as his running mate.
Biden announced the decision Tuesday in an email to supporters.
In a tweet, Harris said she’s honored to join Biden and will “do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.”
By choosing Harris, who is Black and Indian American, Democrats are sending a powerful and historic statement ahead of the November election as the nation continues to grapple with social change. If elected, Harris would not only be the first woman to serve as vice president, but would also be the first person of color to be second in command and the highest-elected Asian American in history.
The junior senator from California has already achieved a number of historic milestones as the second African American woman and first South Asian American senator in history. She was also the first African American and first woman to serve as California’s attorney general.
Harris becomes the second woman as a Democrat vice presidential candidate, following Geraldine Ferraro on Walter Mondale’s ticket in 1984, and the third woman as a vice presidential candidate for a major political party overall. Sarah Palin was John McCain’s choice for vice president in 2008.
