Who is Kamala Harris, Biden's choice for vice presidential candidate?

(Patria) – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has chosen Senator Kamala Harris as his vice presidential candidate, marking the first time in American history that a woman of African American descent will be in the high echelons of presidential elections.  

Biden's decision is a result of pressure to adequately respond to social unrest fueled by racial injustice that has been shaking America for months.

Kamala Harris (55), a senator from California, is an experienced politician who has already tested herself in presidential campaign debates for the November elections.

Biden described Harris on Twitter as a "fearless fighter for the little guy," while Harris responded that Biden could "unite the American people because he has spent his life fighting for us."

Biden and Harris will appear together on Wednesday at a rally in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

By entering the U.S. Senate in 2016, Harris became the second African American woman senator in U.S. history. As a former district attorney, Harris is known for her occasionally aggressive style, which she particularly uses in hearings during Senate sessions.

Following the death of George Floyd, which triggered mass protests in the U.S., Harris found herself at the forefront of the movement for racial justice and police reform.

The daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, Kamala Harris was the first woman to hold the position of District Attorney for San Francisco, and the first woman to be Attorney General of California.  

Many leaders of the African American community have highlighted the historical significance of Kamala Harris's selection as vice presidential candidate.

- Seeing an African American woman nominated for the first time restores my faith that anyone can succeed in the U.S. regardless of who they are or where they come from, stated Val Demings, a U.S. representative who was also in the running.

Former President Barack Obama commented on Biden's choice on Twitter: "Throughout her career, she has defended our Constitution and fought for those who need fair treatment."

Biden, whose campaign was saved at the last minute by African American voters in South Carolina, needs their strong support in the race against Trump. Their vote will be crucial, especially in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where Trump won a narrow victory in 2016, but also in Republican-oriented states like Georgia and Florida, where a significant percentage voted for Democrats in the last election.

Joe Biden served as Vice President in the administration of former President Barack Obama.