International: Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday picked Indian-origin Senator Kamala Devi Harris as his running mate. This makes Harris the first Black woman on a major-party US presidential ticket. If elected she would be the first-ever women to be the vice president of the US and the first-ever Indian-American and African vice president of the country.
This decision comes as a result of recognising the crucial role Black voters could play in Biden’s determined bid to defeat President Donald Trump in the US presidential election in November.
Harris, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is currently the US Senator from California. Former President Barack Obama has described the US senator as a trailblazer.
Biden, 77, made the announcement in a text message to his supporters on Tuesday afternoon.
“Joe Biden here. I’ve chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. Together, with you, we’re going to beat Trump. Add your name to welcome her to the team, Biden said in his message.
Biden also said that Harris will be the best partner for him to finally get the country back on track.
He described her as “a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants”.
Meanwhile, Harris later tweeted that Biden “can unify the American people because he’s spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he’ll build an America that lives up to our ideals.
“I’m honored to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.”
In Harris, Biden gains an experienced politician already battle-tested by the rigors of the 2020 presidential campaign as they head into the final stretch of the November 3 election.
Biden and Harris will appear together on Wednesday at an event in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware