The chairman of the Pennsylvania state Democratic Party said Sunday that the party’s vote to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as its presidential candidate could take place within a day or two.
“As soon as we can logistically,” state Sen. Sharif Street, who leads the state Democratic Party, said at a news conference in Philadelphia Sunday evening. “I would imagine within the next day or two.”
The state party endorsement is a completely separate move from the process in which Pennsylvania’s 159 Democratic delegates will vote on the presidential nomination. Delegates will vote individually, according to Democratic National Committee rules, Street said. The party’s 4,700 delegates will gather in Chicago next month to formally nominate a candidate.
Under DNC rules, delegates are required to vote for the candidate their district chooses in the primary in “good conscience.” But President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race changes that active, leaving delegates only obligated to try to reflect the desires of the voters who elected them.
The extensive majority of delegates nationwide are committed to Biden. All of Pennsylvania’s Democratic delegates were committed to Biden before his withdrawal.
Street said he fully supports Harris, and while he has not spoken to all Pennsylvania delegates, he indicated there is broad support for her from delegates there as well.
“I have not heard a single delegate yet who said they would not support Vice President Harris,” he said.
Earlier Sunday, Street signed a letter with other Democratic Party chairmen from key battleground states expressing their support for Biden’s nomination.
But hours later, Street learned from a notification on his phone that Biden had withdrawn.
He praised the president and said that putting Harris on the ballot in his place allows Democrats to run on the administration’s record without the “distraction” of Biden’s age. He also said he expected Harris — who could become the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party’s presidential ticket — could galvanize the Black vote in Philadelphia.
“His age shouldn’t be the focus, but now when you look at the record, the record is incredibly strong. And look, young people were reluctant to vote for someone who was the same age as their grandparents, and now they don’t have to do that.”