Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris
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Name	Kamala Harris
Caption	Official portrait, 2021
Office	49th Vice President of the United States
President	Joe Biden
Term start	January 20, 2021
Predecessor	Mike Pence
Office1	United States Senator from California
Term start1	January 3, 2017
Term end1	January 18, 2021
Predecessor1	Barbara Boxer
Successor1	Alex Padilla
Office2	32nd Attorney General of California
Term start2	January 3, 2011
Term end2	January 3, 2017
Governor2	Jerry Brown
Predecessor2	Jerry Brown
Successor2	Xavier Becerra
Office3	27th District Attorney of San Francisco
Term start3	January 8, 2004
Term end3	January 3, 2011
Predecessor3	Terence Hallinan
Successor3	George Gascón
Birth date	20 October 1964
Birth place	Oakland, California, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Doug Emhoff, 2014
Education	Howard University (BA), University of California, Hastings (JD)

Kamala Harris is the 49th and current Vice President of the United States, serving alongside President Joe Biden. She is the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to hold the office. Prior to her election as Vice President, she served as a United States Senator from California and as the Attorney General of California.

Early life and education

Born in Oakland, she is the daughter of immigrants: her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a breast cancer researcher from India, and her father, Donald J. Harris, is an economics professor from Jamaica. She attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics. During her time at Howard University, she was active in the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and participated in protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa. She then earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

Legal career

Harris began her legal career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. She later served as a managing attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office before being elected as the District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003, defeating incumbent Terence Hallinan. As District Attorney, she created a environmental crimes unit and declined to seek the death penalty for a man convicted of killing a police officer, a controversial decision. In 2010, she was elected as the Attorney General of California, becoming the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to hold the position. As Attorney General, she secured a major settlement from Bank of America Corporation and JPMorgan Chase over mortgage abuses and helped establish the Bureau of Children's Justice.

Political career

In 2016, Harris was elected to the United States Senate, succeeding retiring Senator Barbara Boxer. During her tenure in the Senate, she served on several committees, including the Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. She gained national attention for her pointed questioning of officials during hearings, such as those for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In January 2019, she announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President but ended her campaign in December of that year. In August 2020, Joe Biden selected her as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election.

Vice presidency (2021–present)

Harris was inaugurated as the 49th Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2021, alongside President Joe Biden. Her historic election was celebrated by many, including organizations like EMILY's List and the National Organization for Women. As Vice President, she has taken on significant diplomatic and policy portfolios. She has led efforts on issues such as voting rights, making trips to states like Georgia and Texas, and has addressed the root causes of migration from Central America, visiting Guatemala and Mexico. She also served as the tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate during the 117th United States Congress, helping to pass legislation like the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Political positions and public image

Harris is considered a progressive within the Democratic Party. Her political positions have evolved; she was initially known as a pragmatic prosecutor in California but later adopted more liberal stances during her Senate career and presidential campaign. She supports the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and the DREAM Act, and has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Her public image has been shaped by her historic status, her prosecutorial background, and her dynamic speaking style, which has drawn comparisons to figures like Shirley Chisholm. She has been both praised by allies like Nancy Pelosi and criticized by opponents, including former President Donald Trump.

Category:Vice Presidents of the United States Category:United States senators from California Category:Attorneys General of California