Washington democrats are counting their delegations support for Harris Thursday

Washington Democrats are leading the groundswell of support behind Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for the party’s nomination for the Presidential race. More than 80 percent of the state’s delegates for the democratic convention support Harris as nationally, the Vice President gained the majority of pledged delegates, clearing her way towards the nomination.

An official poll of Washington voters will take place Thursday, while the Democratic National Committee will vote when to hold a virtual roll call vote on Wednesday.

“It’s like a shot in the arm for all of us in the Democratic Party,” said Shasti Conrad, the chair of the Washington Democratic Party said.

Conrad reports a 24-hour record breaking fundraising period in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to step down, sharing in the cash that flowed to the Harris Campaign and other Democratically-aligned organizations to the tune of over $100 million through Monday night.

“What that shows is that the American People are paying attention,” said Rick Shenkman, a presidential historian who has authored several books on the American Presidency.

Shenkman notes that the summer is typically a political offseason, even in a presidential election year, though says “this has been the strangest of all the presidential elections.”

Republican campaign coffers saw boosts after the conviction of Former President Donald Trump and after he survived an assassination attempt.

“I’m not worried about matching the democrats dollar for dollar as long as we are matching pace, generally, which we are.” said Rep. Jim Walsh, a Republican from Aberdeen who also chairs the Washington Republican Party.

As Walsh sees it, for timing, fundraising rules, and purposes of moving quickly, Harris was the best choice for Democrats. It comes after he returns to Washington from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where conservatives rallied begin former President Trump.

“It doesn’t take away from the advantage that was gained,” Walsh said in reference to party unity, “But it does mitigate the damage on the Democratic side. They’re doing what they have to do to come together quickly in support of a new candidate for President.”

Walsh sees Harris’ tie to the Biden administration as a disadvantage, given issues of immigration and inflation. Unsurprisingly, Democrats see it as an advantage after the White House led efforts around infrastructure, climate action, and women’s reproductive freedom.

Those issues and full campaign coffers will be used to message through ads, and potentially more importantly, campaign canvassers that will door knock on behalf of candidates over the next several months. Which party reaches the most undecided voters will play a large role in who takes the White House, Shenkman says.

“The big question right now is who is going to define Kamala Harris. If Kamala Harris is going to define Kamala Harris, I think she’s a shoe in for the election. If Republicans end up defining her, it’s going to be 50-50.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the organization raising money nationally for Democrats to retake the U.S House of Representatives, has benefited from the donations piling in after Biden’s Sunday announcement.

DCCC Chair and Congresswoman representing Washington’s First District, Suzan DelBene believes it will help Democrats retake the majority.

“We are focused on getting our message out in our battlehround districts across the country so that folks know who our candidates are, that we are fighting against the mis and disinformation that has been spread about them.” Rep. DelBene said.