In a dramatic turn of events, President Joe Biden has exited the 2024 presidential race and called Vice President Kamala Harris to run for office as the Democratic Party candidate. With this development, Harris easily moved to the front line in the presidential race and may well go on to make history as the first woman and person of Indian origin to assume the highest office in the United States.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Kamala Harris's Rise to Power
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Born to immigrant parents in California, Kamala Devi Harris has always stood out. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a Tamil biologist, and her father, Donald J Harris, a Jamaican-American professor, instilled a strong sense of identity and ambition in her.
Following the divorce of her parents, Harris moved with her mother and sister to eventually settle at Howard University, one of the elite historical colleges, where she earned a degree in political science and economics before seeking a career in law.
Harris's political career began with her tenure as a deputy district attorney in California in 1990. She quickly rose through the ranks to district attorney for San Francisco in 2003 and, in 2010, to attorney general of California. In 2017, she broke additional barriers when she became the second African American and first South Asian woman to represent her state as a US Senator.
Very critical in her career, Harris has championed progressive causes such as tax and health reforms, immigration to citizenship, and gun control laws. Her gigantic passion and charisma drew the attention of Joe Biden, who chose her as his vice presidential running mate in the 2020 presidential election.
Kamala Harris's Net Worth
Her financial status has become one of the controversial topics with her rise as the most visible and influential potential presidential candidate. Although the net worth estimates vary, it has increased over the years.
On the Yahoo Finance report, an estimation was made that Kamala Harris' net worth could be anywhere from $6.75 million to $15.29 million in 2023. On the other hand, in line with the 2023 financial disclosure report, Kamala's net worth spans from $2,108,952 at its lowest to $5,839,999 at its highest.
According to Forbes, Harris and her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, have a combined net worth of around $8 million. That's up significantly from an estimated $7 million in 2021 and roughly 20 times the median net worth for Americans their age.
Kamala Harris' Age And Personal Life
Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California,Kamala Devi Harris is running for the presidential elections in the US at the age of 60. Her parents reportedly split upin 1971 after which hermother and sister raised her.
Kamala Harris’s Wealth
- Public Service Salaries: Her career in public office has been rewarding in terms of earnings, with her current annual salary as Vice President at $235,100.
- Book Deals: She has written multiple books, like "Smart on Crime," "The Truths We Hold," and another children's book titled "Superheroes Are Everywhere," which she used to earn a great deal of money.
- Investments: Harris, together with Emhoff, had made several investments that appreciated over time.
- Speaking Engagements: Before becoming the vice president, Harris was reportedly one of the most in-demand political speakers and commanded large sums for speaking engagements.
According to the 2023 financial disclosure report, her assets range from $2,891,048 to $6,840,000, and liabilities from $1,000,001 to $5 million. Age 59, Harris is on track to collect an estimated $8,200 in monthly payouts from her California pensions later this year, and federal pension payments are likely to begin in 2026.
Don't Miss: Indian Women Who Made A Mark In World Politics
Kamala Harris's Indian Connection
The nomination of Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate is of immense significance for the Indian-American community. In case she is successful, she will be the first woman of Indian origin to contest elections in the US. Her victory would make her the first Indian-origin and first woman President of the country.
Her Indian heritage is likely to become all the more important in the elections as the wife of the Republican Vice President nominee JD Vance is also Indian, thereby wooing the immigrant voter base.
It's a challenging time but also an opportunistic one for Harris as she positions herself just in case she needs to lead the Democratic ticket. Many Democrats, according to polls, believe she would have been considered one of the strongest successors to Biden based on her presence on the winning presidential ticket, experience, and other factors.
Loyal to Biden and armed with robust campaign resources, she is in an unbeatable position against any opponents. However, the bid for reelection by ex-president Donald Trump is immensely more difficult due to his popularity.
Harris has called the coming election "the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime." With this endorsement from Biden and her record, Kamala Harris is all set to play a very vital role in the Democratic Party's future and perhaps reshape American history.
For more such stories, stay tuned to HerZindagi
Herzindagi.com is Jagran New Media's gender and lifestyle vertical, catering to women of all age groups, helping them remain updated, on-trend and aware. To improve our performance and understand our readers' interests better, we have created this poll. This will take 2 minutes of your time, do help us out with this link.
Image Courtesy: X
Take charge of your wellness journey—download the HerZindagi app for daily updates on fitness, beauty, and a healthy lifestyle!
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation