Kamala Harris sent shock waves through the country Saturday morning after her historic win as the first woman and person of color elected as U.S. vice president.
“This election is so much more than Joe Biden or me,” said Harris in a Tweet. “It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started.”
This election is about so much more than @JoeBiden or me. It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started.pic.twitter.com/Bb9JZpggLN
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020
News broke after Biden was declared the projected winner after nearly three days of pending vote counts out of key battleground states: Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Arizona.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and the Vice President-elect Harris,” said Biden in his winning statement. “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal.”
The 56-year-old has brought many firsts alongside being the first female vice president-elect to the White House, as being the first Black, Indian and South Asian American person to hold office.
“My mother raised me to see what could be, unburdened by what has been,” said Harris in a Tweet.
My mother raised me to see what could be, unburdened by what has been. pic.twitter.com/5sNj8MmjvZ
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 17, 2020
Harris’ win is monumental. According to CNN, since 1789, there have only been two other female vice president nominees: Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin. After Hillary Clinton’s loss in the 2016 election, Harris was determined to break barriers by running for office herself. Although she dropped out of the 2020 election race in December of 2019, she remained optimistic after being announced as Biden’s running mate in August of this year.
Prior to her win in the 2020 election, Harris has served as a member of the US Senate in the state of California since 2016. She is also the former attorney general of California and was San Francisco’s district attorney from 2004 to 2011 as reported by Ballotpedia.
Harris not only broke gender and racial barriers but set herself up for an even brighter future. With 77-year-old Biden only expected to fulfill one term of presidency, according to The Economic Times, Harris could potentially become a favorable candidate if she plans to run for the 2024 presidential election.