Harris, Kamala (1964-…), became in 2021 the first woman to serve as vice president of the United States. She is also the first person of African American and South Asian ancestry to serve in the position. Harris and Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, defeated their Republican opponents, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, in the 2020 election. Before becoming vice president, Harris had represented California in the U.S. Senate since 2017. She had earlier served as California’s attorney general—the state’s chief law officer. Prior to serving as attorney general, Harris was the district attorney of San Francisco, California.
In August 2024, Harris became the Democratic Party’s official nominee for president of the United States after President Biden ended his campaign for reelection.
Early life and family.
Kamala << KAH muh luh >> Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California, on Oct. 20, 1964. Her mother was a physician and cancer specialist who was born in India. Her father, who was born in Jamaica, became an economics professor. In 1986, Harris received a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Howard University. In 1989, she earned a law degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law (now UC College of the Law, San Francisco). Harris married Doug Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, in 2014.
Career.
From 1990 to 1998, Harris served as deputy district attorney for Alameda County, California. In 1998, she became the managing attorney of the Career Criminal Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2000, she was named to lead the San Francisco City Attorney’s Division on Families and Children.
In 2003, Harris won election as San Francisco district attorney. She was reelected in 2007 and served through 2010. Her victory in the 2010 campaign for state attorney general marked the first time a woman and—because of her mixed ethnicity—a person of African American and South Asian ancestry won the post. Harris took office in 2011. As attorney general, she gained attention for her work to combat transnational gangs and to investigate banks that engaged in mortgage fraud. She was reelected in 2014 and served until 2017.
In January 2015, Barbara Boxer, a long-time U.S. senator from California, announced that she would not seek reelection in 2016. Shortly afterward, Harris announced that she would campaign for the open Senate seat. In June 2016, Harris finished first in California’s open primary for the seat. She defeated U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, a fellow Democrat, in the November election. As a U.S. senator, Harris served on a number of committees, including the Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence.
In August 2020, Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, named Harris as his vice presidential running mate. Issues in the campaign included the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and tensions between Black communities and police. Days after the November 3 election, major news outlets called the election for Biden and Harris, though election results had yet to be certified. Trump and Pence refused to concede, however, and challenged several state results via lawsuits. On November 23, following a string of legal defeats, the Trump administration authorized the start of the formal transition to a Biden administration. The Electoral College confirmed Biden’s victory on December 14. Harris resigned her Senate seat in January 2021, days before she and Biden took office. As vice president, Harris led U.S. diplomatic efforts with Central American countries to address the root causes of unauthorized immigration to the United States.
In April 2023, President Biden announced that he would campaign for reelection in 2024. In July 2024, however, he ended his campaign amid widespread concerns about his age and health. Biden recommended that the Democratic Party choose Harris as its nominee for president. Harris then announced that she would campaign to win the nomination. Many top leaders of the party declared their support for her candidacy. Harris became the party’s official nominee in early August after a large majority of Democratic delegates supported her in a roll-call vote. Harris named Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, as her vice presidential running mate.
