Who is Kamala Harris/ Can she beat Donald Trump?

2024-07-22 12:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden endorsed Harris after she dropped out of the presidential race, but it's unclear whether she will be embraced by the Democratic Party, although the support appears to be there.

Harris has already made history by becoming the first black and female vice president in US history, but has faced concerns about whether she can defeat Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.

The coming days will tell whether Harris will truly be embraced by the party and selected as their candidate at the Democratic National Convention next month.

On Sunday, Biden called the decision to pick former prosecutor Harris as his right-hand man in 2020 the "best decision he's ever made," as he called on Democrats to support her.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Who is Harris?

Harris, 59, was born in Oakland, California, to an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father.

She attended Howard University in Washington, DC, before earning her law degree. Harris began working in the Alameda County District Attorney's office before moving to San Francisco.

She became San Francisco's district attorney in 2003. She was then elected California attorney general, the state's top law enforcement role, in 2010 and re-elected four years later.

She was elected to the US Senate in 2016 and became a leading critic of Trump, especially when it came to his immigration policies.

Her aggressive questioning of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 helped cement her credentials as one of the Democratic Party's biggest rising stars.

Kamala Harris

How did she become vice president?

Harris entered the primary race in 2020 but quickly dropped out. Then Biden decided to make him number two in the white house. Harris' selection was seen as an attempt to woo black voters and energize the party's base.

Harris' law enforcement credentials and centrist approach were also seen as assets that could sway undecided voters away from Trump, though her history also rattled the party's progressive wing.

In a 2019 debate, Harris also challenged Biden to the race, a viral moment that many thought could have ended her chances of becoming vice president once she became the party's nominee.

Harris has described herself as a "progressive prosecutor," but she has made little inroads with the party's progressive wing.

While Harris oversaw several reforms in her career, critics have accused her of having a mixed approach to her policies at best.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Long touted as the future of the Democratic Party, Harris has also faced criticism for falling short of expectations. Detractors have said she lacks charisma.

What is her position on Israel's war in Gaza?

On Israel-Palestine, Harris has adhered to the Biden administration's "ironclad" support for Israel, and she has regularly defended Israel's right to self-defense, including during the Gaza war.

Harris will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week when he visits the US. Still, Harris has been one of the most vocal members of the administration highlighting the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the enclave. In March, she became the most senior member of the administration to use the word "ceasefire" in calling for a humanitarian pause in the fighting./ CNA