Who is Kamala Harris? What is the background of US presidential candidate Harris?

Kamala Harris has been determined as the Democratic Party's candidate in the US Presidential election, which the world is watching closely. In the US, where there are approximately 240 million voters, Kamala Harris's life, career, and background are a subject of curiosity. Harris, who has served as the Vice President of the United States under President Joe Biden's administration since 2021, previously served as a senator from California between 2017 and 2021. So, who is Kamala Harris?

WHO IS KAMALA HARRIS?

As the first female vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris has become the highest-ranking female official in US history, holding the title of the first vice president with both African American and Asian American heritage. Having served as a US senator from California between 2017 and 2021, Harris previously served as the Attorney General of California. Harris is running as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate in the 2024 US presidential election.

Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. After completing her education at Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, she began her legal career at the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. She moved to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and then to the San Francisco City Attorney's Office. She was elected District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003, became the Attorney General of California in 2010, and was re-elected to this position in 2014.

Serving as the youngest US senator from California from 2017 to 2021, Harris became the second Black woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the Senate. As a senator, she supported stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, the federal legalization of marijuana, and healthcare and tax reforms. She drew national attention, particularly with the striking questions she posed to figures such as Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND NOMINATION

Kamala Harris ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in 2019 but withdrew before the primaries were completed. Joe Biden chose Harris as his vice-presidential running mate, and together they won the 2020 election, defeating the incumbent president and vice president, Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Harris and Biden took office on January 20, 2021.

ROLE IN THE SENATE AND LEGISLATIVE WORK

After taking office, Harris presided over an evenly divided Senate. As President of the Senate, she cast the tie-breaking vote that was decisive in the passage of key bills, most notably the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act stimulus package and the Inflation Reduction Act, becoming the vice president to cast the most such votes.

2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

When Joe Biden withdrew from the race for the 2024 presidential election, Harris launched her own presidential campaign with his endorsement. She chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate.