By Ray Richardson
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — As Vice President Kamala Harris edges closer to a formal nomination by the Democratic Party, California legislators and community leaders are mounting an aggressive outreach and voter registration campaign to support her in the race for president.
Harris’ popularity in her home state of California is expected to keep the state’s 55 electoral votes away from Republican candidate Donald Trump in November, but Harris’ supporters are taking no chances.
“We need to hit the ground running to make sure everybody’s engaged in this process,” state Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Inglewood, told The Wave. “There’s a lot of work to do to reach those undecided voters and get people to the polls.”
Bradford was among a large contingent of public officials who joined U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters on July 26 for a raucous rally at the Proud Bird. More than 500 turned out for the gathering after receiving only a two-day notice from Waters.
Representatives from at least 40 local agencies and organizations pledged their commitment to raise awareness on the importance of supporting Harris. A common theme of the two-hour event was ‘Vote!…Vote!…Vote!’
“When we vote, we win,” Waters said numerous times to the crowd. “How lucky is this country to have a woman who is so highly qualified to be president of the United States.”
“This is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history,” Waters added. “I urge everyone to get involved and help us bring about the change we want to see by supporting a leader who truly represents our values. Kamala Harris is from California, and we need to stand behind her.”
Former state Sen. Rod Wright was also in attendance at the rally.
“If you read the platform of Donald Trump, some of y’all might have to learn how to pick cotton again,” Wright told the crowd. “You might have to learn how to tap dance. We’re talking about the future of your existence in this country. Kamala will be the president. What she will do is protect the future of your children.”
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stressed the importance of unity.
“We need to stand up for women’s reproductive freedoms, immigration reform, and sensible gun control,” he said. “Kamala Harris can bring these changes.”
Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, emphasized labor support.
“We got to get our children registered to vote,” she said. “They will move us ahead.”
Sweet Alice Harris, a longtime community activist from Watts, added her passionate support.
“We got to be ready to work hard and make sure Kamala Harris gets to the White House,” she said. “It’s time for a change, and she’s the one to make it happen.”
Among the other area leaders who attended the rally were Compton Mayor Emma Sharif and Bell Gardens Mayor Gabriela Gomez.
California delegates are joining Democratic Party delegates around the country on Aug. 1 to begin the virtual roll call process to solidify Harris’ nomination. The roll call ends Aug. 5, two weeks before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Most roll calls by the two major parties in presidential election years are normally conducted during the convention to confirm their candidate choice.
President Joe Biden’s announcement on July 21 that he was withdrawing from the race forced Democrats to move up their roll call to make sure Harris met deadlines to be on the ballots in several states. Ballots for all states are expected to be finalized by Aug. 7.
Democratic leaders also wanted to have Harris formally installed as their candidate before the convention.
For the 3,923 Democrat delegates nationwide, Harris’ name is the only one they will see on petitions. Harris needs 1,976 votes to secure the nomination, which is now just a formality.
Based on fundraising the past two weeks totaling more than $210 million and spirited support from all levels of Democrats, Harris has entrenched herself as the party’s new leader.
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison confirmed reports that 99% of the delegates have pledged to nominate Harris during the roll calls. Harrison said no other candidate met the minimum requirement of 300 delegates to get on the party ballot.
“As we prepare to open the voting on our virtual roll call, we move to this final stage of our nomination process with unprecedented momentum and unity across our party,” Harrison said in a statement. “We stand united in our mission to elect a Democratic nominee who has the experience, wisdom and bold determination to lead our country.”
Ray Richardson is a contributing writer for The Wave. He can be reached at rayrich55@gmail.com. California Black Media also contributed to this story.
Photo by Ray Richardson
