A networking organization for black women raised $1.5 million during a Zoom call in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Over 40,000 women joined the "Win With Black Women" virtual event hours after President Joe Biden announced that he was ending his reelection bid. The July 21 call included Congresswomen Joyce Beatty, Maxine Waters, and Jasmine Crockett as well as Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington D.C. and Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown.
Biden endorsed Harris as the next Democratic presidential nominee shortly after withdrawing from the race.
“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 decision I’ve made,” he wrote on X.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” Biden continued. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Many political analysts are hopeful Harris will reinvigorate voter enthusiasm and give the Democratic Party a better chance at defeating President Donald Trump in November.
In an article for the Atlanta Daily World, Hunter Gilmore argued that the Win with Black Women call “was more than a fundraiser” and emphasized “unity, strategic action, and the exercise of political power.”
Gilmore wrote:The success of the event underscores a fact that has long been evident: Black women are the cornerstone of the Democratic Party. The numbers are compelling—94% of Black women supported the Democratic nominee in 2016, and 90% backed the current administration in the last election. This steadfast support has been instrumental in numerous elections, yet it has not always been matched by proportional recognition or representation…
As the 2024 election approaches, the political engagement of Black women will undoubtedly be a decisive factor. Candidates and political parties would be wise to acknowledge and respect this power, not only during election campaigns but in their ongoing policies and platforms.
Crockett, who represents Texas’s 30th Congressional District, immediately threw her support behind Harris after Biden released his announcement.
“I know one thing, I will only work for [Kamala Harris]!” she wrote on X. “If it’s anyone OTHER than her, enjoy campaign season… I hope all of my disenchanted colleagues are able to find some walking shoes and get to work because I WILL NOT!”
Other female politicians also announced their support for the vice president.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan endorsed Harris via a statement released by her Fight Like Hell PAC.
“In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from overseas, and building an economy that works for working people,” said Whitmer. “She’s a former prosecutor, a champion for reproductive freedom, and I know that she’s got Michigan’s back.”
“With immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future, I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States,” wrote former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on X on July 22. “I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November.”
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated that only $1 million was raised
