Harris Surpasses Delegate Threshold for Democratic Nomination

Vice President Kamala Harris has surpassed the 1,976 Democratic delegates needed to secure her party's presidential nomination, according to an Associated Press survey conducted Monday night.

This development marks a significant step forward for Harris, although it's important to note that the delegates endorsing her are not bound to her candidacy. Nonetheless, the support from more than 2,200 delegates across over 30 states indicates that Harris is well-positioned to win the Democratic nomination.

Here is what you need to know

Harris announced her presidential campaign just over a day ago, and since then, her delegate support has grown rapidly. In contrast, President Joe Biden, who initially gathered nearly 4,000 delegates in his strong primary performance, has left his delegates uncommitted following his recent announcement to exit the campaign.

After Biden's departure from the race, he endorsed Harris, with her responding by stating that her "intention is to earn and win" the Democratic presidential nomination. According to party rules, Harris must secure the support of 1,976 delegates on the first ballot at the convention to officially claim the nomination. While the AP's survey reflects her current advantage among delegates, it remains an unofficial count.

Democratic National Convention will begin from 19th August 

Looking ahead, the Democratic National Convention is set to start on August 19 in Chicago. However, the DNC has announced a "virtual roll call" for selecting the party's nominee before August 7. This revised timeline poses a challenge for any candidate other than Harris, who has garnered backing from nearly all major Democratic lawmakers, to capture the nomination.