WASHINGTON – Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumertop Democrats in Congress have endorsed Kamala Harris for president on Tuesday.
Schumer and Jeffries, both from New York, made the announcement at a press conference, where both emphasized their enthusiasm during their Democratic conferences for Harris’ candidacy. “We are full of enthusiasm, enthusiasm and unity,” Schumer told reporters.
Jeffries echoed that sentiment, adding that Harris “is ready, willing and able to lead us into the future.”
Although many elected Democrats, including President Joe Biden, quickly announced their support for Harris, the Senate majority leader and House minority leader said they wanted to meet her in person first. That meeting has not yet taken place, sources close to the leaders told NBC News. But both Jefferies and Schumer spoke to Harris by phone.
“When I spoke to her on Sunday, she said she wanted the opportunity to win the nomination herself and to do it from the bottom up, not the top down. We deeply respect that, Hakeem and I do,” Schumer said.
“Now that the process has progressed from the ground up, from the bottom up, we are here today to lend our support to Vice President Kamala Harris,” he said.
Schumer and Jeffries endorsements come one day after Harris won the support of the majority of pledged delegates for the Democratic convention. That vote to make Harris the party’s official candidate for president will take place in early August before the party convention.
While waiting to speak with her before making a formal endorsement, Schumer, who served with Harris in the Senate, and Jeffries have said positive things about Harris and her campaign since Biden announced Sunday that he would not run for reelection. In a statement Monday, the leaders said Harris “is off to a great start” and they looked forward to “meeting in person with Vice President Harris soon as we work collectively to unify the Democratic Party and the country.”
Former President of the Chamber Nancy PelosiD-California, endorsed Harris on Monday, joining a wide range of Democrats in Congress — including progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and popular governors who have been mentioned as potential rivals to Harris for a presidential bid – supporting the vice president. Although no longer in leadership, Pelosi played a fundamental role in getting Biden out of the 2024 campaign, making way for Harris.
Schumer and Jeffries also had serious and private conversations with Biden in the weeks after a disastrous debate that raised unwavering concerns about his ability to run for re-election.
Schumer met with Biden in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on July 13 and told the president she was there “out of love and affection” but presented the case for him to drop out of the race in stark terms, a source familiar with the conversation told NBC. News The president needed to consider three important points: his legacy, the future of the country and the impact on Congress, Schumer said, according to this source. He also asked Biden to think about the Supreme Court.
Schumer ended the meeting by saying, “I don’t expect you to leave this room making a decision, but I do hope you think about what I said,” the source said.
Biden responded, “I need another week,” and then the two leaders hugged.
Schumer didn’t say much publicly the following week, instead speaking privately with Democratic members, White House officials, Jeffries, Pelosi and former President Barack Obama.
Schumer firmly believed that publicly calling out the president would be “counterproductive” and could embarrass the president. He also believed that the best way for Democrats to approach the situation was with some humanity and not just cold political calculation. Regardless of Biden’s decision, Democrats needed him to be able to campaign for himself or another Democratic candidate.
As he had suggested to Schumer, a week later, Biden announced his decision to drop out of the race and supported Harris.
This article was originally published in NBCNews. with
