Former president among early Harris backers as Democrat donations spike by $50m

Kamala Harris has hit the ground running as she battles to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, securing the backing of several top party figures.

Half an hour after announcing his decision to drop out of the US election, Mr Biden endorsed his vice president and told his party it was time to “come together and beat Trump”.

Several prominent Democrats have since backed Ms Harris, including former president Bill Clinton, with the party’s fundraising platform seeing its biggest day of the year, with nearly $50m (£38.7m) pouring in.

However, Ms Harris was dealt a blow as former US president Barack Obama stopped short of endorsing her, saying he backed the Democrats to “create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges”.

Ms Harris will hope to run uncontested for the presidential nomination – but there is no protocol in the party to choose a new candidate before its convention starts on 19 August.

It takes a majority of the party’s 4,000 or so delegates to win the nomination – and Mr Biden secured about 3,900 in the primaries.

There are some indications West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin could register as another candidate. He left the Democrats to become an independent earlier this year.

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Having already broken the same records for the office of vice president, Ms Harris would be the first black woman – and person of South Asian descent to be US president if elected.

She will be hoping to maximise female voter turnout, as a leading voice on women’s rights following the overturning of abortion legislation under Roe v Wade.

The 59-year-old already has the backing of the Clintons, a host of celebrities, and numerous caucuses and political organisations.

Singer Katy Perry posted herself singing her song Woman’s World on Instagram, with the lyrics “It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it” in a nod of support.

John Legend called on his millions of followers to “elect Kamala Harris as our President”, adding: “She’s ready to fight and I’m excited to help her in any way I can.”

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Although there are few polls to draw on at such an early stage, recent ones show her having similar ratings to Mr Biden.

On 16 July, a Reuters-Ipsos poll showed Ms Harris tied with Donald Trump on 44% each.

In her first statement, Ms Harris said: “I am running to be President of the United States.

“It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden – one of the finest public servants we will ever know.

“I am honoured to have his support and endorsement and I am eager to run on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together.”

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