Monday, Harris won the backing of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, whose name has been floated as a possible replacement vice presidential pick, and the Kentucky Democratic Party.
Beshear told MSNBC's Morning Joe he's "excited to fully endorse Vice President Harris for the next President of the United States," adding he believes Harris will win the election.
The governor described Harris as "strong, smart, and... kind," while also stressing her "empathy."
Turning to former President Donald Trump's vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, Beshear said, "I think if somebody calls you on that what you do is at least listen. And I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like because let me tell you, J.D. Vance ain’t (sic) from here. The nerve that he has to call the people of Kentucky, of eastern Kentucky lazy. Listen, these are the hard-working coal miners that powered the industrial revolution, that created the strongest middle class the world has ever seen, that powered us through two world wars. We should be thanking them.”
In a statement, the Kentucky Democratic Party's Colmon Elridge said, "Over the last four years, Vice President Kamala Harris has been a proven partner to President Joe Biden and delivered on their shared vision to level the playing field for more Americans. She has a remarkable record of public service, from tackling housing costs as a U.S. Senator to protecting consumers as California’s chief law enforcement office. Vice President Harris is ready to serve as president on Day 1 and finish the job that Joe Biden started."
Harris also secured the support of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker left a dwindling list of potential rivals to Harris.
Biden's exit Sunday, prompted by Democratic worries over his fitness for office, was a seismic shift to the presidential contest that upended both major political parties' carefully honed plans for the 2024 race.
Biden's departure frees his delegates to vote for whomever they choose. Harris, whom Biden backed after ending his candidacy, is thus far the only declared candidate and was working to quickly secure endorsements from a majority of delegates.
In a sign that the Democratic Party was moving to coalesce behind her, Harris quickly won endorsements from the leadership of several influential caucuses and political organizations, including the AAPI Victory Fund, which focuses on Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, The Collective PAC, focused on building Black political power, and the Latino Victory Fund, as well as the chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the entire Congressional Black Caucus. Harris, if elected, would be the first woman and first person of South Asian descent to be president.
Notably, a handful of men who had already been discussed as potential running mates for Harris — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly — also swiftly issued statements endorsing her.
