Harris hitting campaign trail for first time since Biden dropped out of race

Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to the key battleground state of Wisconsin Tuesday, hitting the campaign trail for the first time since becoming the likely Democratic presidential nominee. She's scheduled to make a mid-day speech in Milwaukee.

The campaign says it's taken in more than $100 million between Sunday afternoon, when President Biden announced he's bowing out of the race, and Monday evening.

Democrats moved Monday moved to consolidate behind Harris for the party's nomination, capping a dramatic 24 hours after Mr. Biden's shocking announcement that he was exiting the race and, a short time later, endorsing Harris for the nomination .

CBS News estimates Harris has received the endorsement of a majority of Democratic delegates. If the total holds, she would become the Democratic nominee for president after the virtual roll-call vote expected in early August.

Harris made her first public remarks since the announcement at the White House Monday at an event honoring college athletes. She said she's "deeply, deeply grateful" to Mr. Biden for his "service to his nation" and called his legacy "unmatched in modern history."

Harris visited the Wilmington campaign office on Monday to rally the staff. A Democratic political action group, Future Forward PAC, announced Monday that it had raised $150 million, a staggering amount, given the lag in Democrats' fundraising since Mr. Biden's disastrous debate against Trump last month.

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, still one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, endorsed Harris on Monday, a key stepping stone, although Democratic leaders Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and current Speaker Hakeem Jeffries have not yet endorsed her.

Harris, the 59-year-old former senator and state attorney general from California, also earned support from many who had been considered top rivals for the nomination , including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Although Mr. Biden has endorsed her, he does not appoint a successor in the race. The delegates to the Democratic National Convention will vote on who becomes the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Democrats are expected to hold the roll-call vote formalizing the nomination in early August, weeks before the convention, which is slated to begin in Chicago on Aug. 19.

The Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has been posting on social media about Mr. Biden's decision to drop out, and he won't commit to any debates against the eventual nominee.

Majority of Democratic delegates endorse Harris

CBS News estimates Vice President Kamala Harris has received the endorsement of a majority of Democratic delegates. If the total holds, she would become the Democratic nominee for president after the roll call vote expected in early August.

Delegations from at least 27 states have issued statements of their full delegations endorsing Harris.

Late Monday night, Harris released a statement calling herself the presumptive nominee.

"When I announced my campaign for President, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination," she wrote. "Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party's nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state's delegation helped put our campaign over the top. I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.

From Aaron Navarro, Nidia Cavazos, Shawna Mizelle and Arden Farhi

Kentucky governor says he hasn't been asked for VP vetting materials

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told CNN on Monday night that he has not been asked to submit information for any vetting process for the vice president nominee spot in Kamala Harris' campaign for the presidency.

When asked what his answer would be if he were asked to join the ticket, he chose to focus on his work in the state.

"I do love my job here in Kentucky, my kids are happy. We're having record success, we've broken every record for private sector investment, new jobs exports, tourism, recidivism is at a low," he said. "The only reason I'd ever consider something else is if I felt that I can help my people in Kentucky more in a different role or that there was a chance to move past the partisanship, the constant fighting."

California's Democratic delegates pledge unanimous support to Harris

More than 490 Democratic delegates from California have pledged their support to their Golden State candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, the state party announced in a Monday news release.

"The California Delegation quickly coalesced behind Vice President Harris for President because she's smart, she's tough and no one is better prepared to prosecute the case against convicted felon, Donald Trump," said California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks.

DNC chairs push for virtual roll call to remain

Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison and convention chair Minyon Moore are pushing to keep a virtual roll call process "to ensure we are on the ballot in all 50 states," according to a letter obtained by CBS News.

The letter proposes several rules about the nominating process. The convention rules committee will meet virtually on Wednesday afternoon to approve, or tweak them.

Harrison said in a call with reporters that the party will "deliver a presidential nominee by August 7." This date coincides with Ohio's current deadline in effect for candidate certification for the ballot.

Moore also said there is "still a need for a virtual component for our nominating process."

"This will all be done swiftly and transparently so our delegates, Party members, and the public understand the process," she added.

According to the letter, there will be a window for candidates to file paperwork to declare their candidacy. To qualify for the virtual roll call ballot, candidates need 300 delegates, of which no more than 50 can come from a single state. The candidate who secures a majority of votes becomes the nominee.

A DNC official said the window to submit paperwork to declare candidacy should close by the end of this week. The exact timeline after is less clear, but the DNC indicated a virtual roll call could happen as soon as August 1.

The DNC also indicated flexibility for the nominee to pick and announce their running mate. A DNC official said they could do it by August 7, or after. They added it's up to the presidential nominee to make sure they meet ballot access deadlines.

Vice President Kamala Harris is seen as the early favorite in the process, with many could-be challengers instead opting to endorse her. She also has the public support and endorsement of more than a third of the delegates she will need, according to a CBS News analysis.

CBS News has reached out to the Harris campaign on if they're looking to abide by that August 7 deadline in Ohio.

Harris speaks with Bernie Sanders, who has yet to endorse her

Harris and Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke on the phone after Mr. Biden endorsed her, according to sources familiar with the call.

Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, has so far refrained from endorsing Harris. He had called Mr. Biden the "strongest candidate."

By Robert Costa and Nidia Cavazos

AFL-CIO endorses Harris

The nation's largest labor organization, the AFL-CIO , announced its endorsement for Harris. The organization represents 60 unions and more than 12 million workers.

"From day one, Vice President Kamala Harris has been a true partner in leading the most pro-labor administration in history," AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement. "From taking on Wall Street and corporate greed to leading efforts to expand affordable child care and support vulnerable workers, she's shown time and again that she's on our side."

The endorsement is unsurprising given organized labor's decades of support for Democratic presidential candidates.

The AFL-CIO endorsed Mr. Biden last summer, making it the earliest the organization has ever backed a candidate during a presidential campaign.

Harris announces Jen O'Malley Dillon, Julie Chavez Rodriguez will run campaign

Harris flew to Wilmington, Delaware, where Mr. Biden stationed his 2024 campaign headquarters, to thank campaign staff. After he dropped out, she assumed his campaign operations.

She announced that she asked Jen O'Malley Dillon, who ran Mr. Biden's successful 2020 campaign and was the chair of his 2024 operation, to run her campaign. O'Malley Dillon accepted, Harris said, adding that Julie Chavez Rodriguez will continue in her role as campaign manager.

"I have full faith that this team … will be the reason we win in November," Harris told staffers.

Mr. Biden stayed on the phone while Harris addressed staff and praised his leadership .

"It has been one of the greatest honors of my life, truly, to serve as vice president to our president, Joe Biden," she said. "It is my great honor to have Joe's endorsement in this race. It is my intention to go out and earn this nomination and to win."

She said Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden "are like family" to her and her husband, Doug.

"It's mutual," Mr. Biden said over the phone. "I love you."

As he faces calls from Republicans to resign the presidency, Harris pushed back, saying "he's not done — far from it."

Harris also talked about her time as a prosecutor.

"I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump's type," she said. "I will proudly put my record against his."

Biden calls into Harris campaign in his first public remarks since he exited presidential race

Mr. Biden called into the Harris campaign headquarters in Delaware Monday afternoon, encouraging staffers to launch themselves fully into the vice president's presidential campaign.

"I'm hoping you'll give every bit of your heart and soul that you gave to me to Kamala," he said, in his first public remarks since he gave up the presidential nomination a day ago.

"Embrace her," he said. "She's the best."

"Yesterday's news was surprising and hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do," Mr. Biden told the staff. "I think we made the right decision."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be out there on the campaign with her, with Kamala," the president promised. "I'm going to be working like hell."

Even though he won't be on the ticket, the president said he'll be "fully, fully engaged" in the campaign and in completing the duties of his presidency.

By Kathryn Watson and Caitlin Yilek

Former AG Eric Holder, Covington & Burling to oversee VP vetting

The vetting of Vice President Harris's potential running mates will be overseen by the Washington law firm Covington & Burling and involve the firm's senior counsel, Eric Holder, a Harris campaign official tells CBS News. The law firm has a longstanding relationship with Democratic Party presidential campaigns.

Holder served as attorney general during the Obama administration.

By Ed O'Keefe, Weijia Jiang

CBS News poll: Many Democrats feel election chances improved after Biden exit, and back Kamala Harris as nominee

The nation's Democrats are reacting positively to President Biden stepping aside as the party's nominee, with many believing that will improve their chances of beating Donald Trump in November, while also overwhelmingly saying Mr. Biden's legacy will be excellent or good.

Voters aren't all political strategists, of course, but here's how they size up the party's chances from here: They are much likelier to say their chances of beating Trump have gotten better than worse now, though about 3 in 10 say it depends on who the nominee is.

And those saying their chances have improved are more likely to approve of Mr. Biden's decision to exit the race.

Read more about the poll here.

By Anthony Salvanto , Jennifer De Pinto, Kabir Khanna

10 potential running mates for Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is looking at a deep bench of potential running mates. With the Democratic National Convention a month away, she'll have to make her decision soon. The possibles include:

• Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
• Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
• Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom
• Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

Read more about each potential vice presidential pick here .

Harris campaign raises $81 million in 24 hours

Harris' presidential campaign raked in $81 million in the 24 hours after Mr. Biden ended his bid for reelection, her campaign said Monday.

The eye-popping haul includes money raised across Harris' campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees, and underscores the vice president's enormous financial advantage over any potential challengers for the Democratic nomination. It's the largest amount of money raised in a 24-hour span in presidential history, according to Team Harris.

The campaign said that more than 888,000 grassroots donors made contributions in the past 24 hours, and for 60% of them, it was their first contribution of the 2024 election cycle. A call hosted by the group "Win with Black Women" brought in $1.6 million alone, Team Harris said.

Read more here .

Clyburn predicts "everybody is going to coalesce" around Harris

Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina — the man Mr. Biden credits for helping him win the Democratic nomination in 2020 — expressed confidence in Democratic Party unity.

"Everybody is going to coalesce around the vice president, and she'll be fine," Clyburn told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Clyburn, 84, is a fixture in Democratic politics. Representing a majority-Black district in South Carolina, Clyburn endorsed Mr. Biden even after the president lost the first contests in the 2020 primary. It helped Mr. Biden win the South Carolina primary and eventually, the presidency.

Schumer, Jeffries say Harris off to "great start," stop short of endorsement

The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate praised Harris' early efforts in pursuing the party's presidential nomination and said in a joint statement that they are looking forward to meeting in-person with her "shortly."

"Vice President Kamala Harris is off to a great start with her promise to pursue the presidential nomination in a manner consistent with the grassroots and transparent process set forth by the Democratic National Committee," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. "She is rapidly picking up support from grassroots delegates from one end of the country to the other."

Schumer and Jeffries, both from New York, stopped short of endorsing Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Biden-Harris aligned Super PAC has raised $150 million in 24 hours

One of the largest Democratic super PACs has seen a surge of donations in the 24 hours since the president's decision to exit the race.

Future Forward PAC, established to serve as an outside entity to advertise and mobilize voters on the president's behalf, says it's received roughly $150 million in fundraising commitments in the day since the president's announcement, a senior official with the entity confirms to CBS News.

The financial boost is operationally and symbolically significant: It permits the PAC to begin resuming major advertising and outreach campaigns across battleground states and in English and Spanish. But it's also the same PAC that first signaled significant financial trouble for the Biden campaign and Biden-aligned organizations ramping up for the fall.

CBS News previously reported that wealthy benefactors had frozen at least $90 million in donations to Future Forward PAC until Biden could prove he had a winning strategy or was replaced atop the Democratic ticket. Other PACs and Democratic campaign organizations had seen similar donation freezes numbering into the tens of millions of dollars.

The sudden financial boon for Future Forward, plus the more than $50 million raised overnight by the Harris campaign, signals Democrats are enthusiastic once again - at least to open their wallets.

Politico first reported news of Future Forward's sudden fundraising turnaround.