Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris of California would be his vice-presidential running mate, making her the first woman of color on a major party’s presidential ticket. Harris is also the fourth woman to ever be nominated by a major party on a presidential ticket.

Biden said in a statement, “Her record of accomplishment—fighting tooth and nail for what’s right—is why I’m choosing her. There is no door Kamala won’t knock on, no stone she’ll leave unturned, if it means making life better—for the people.”

Harris added in her own statement, “@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he’s spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he’ll build an America that lives up to our ideals. I’m honored to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.”

Harris, 55, was briefly a front-runner in the 2020 Democratic presidential-primary race but dropped out in December. Harris was the first woman and African American person to serve as San Francisco district attorney and later as California attorney general. She joined the Senate in 2017 after winning the race to succeed longtime Sen. Barbara Boxer, becoming only the second Black woman to serve in the chamber and the first South Asian American elected to the Senate. 

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