Harris was once seen as a front-runner, but she lost momentum in recent months.
In what can be called a Tuesday shocker of sorts, Sen. Kamala Harris has dropped out of the 2020 presidential race. The news came after months of what internal sources describe as a cash crunch bogging down the candidate, who was once seen as a frontrunner. She announced the decision around noon during a call with campaign workers.
The news may be of particular interest to Indian American voters who were excited at the prospect of having an Indian American in the White House.
Harris, who announced the run on Martin Luther King Day, had immediately become front-runner. In recent weeks, the Harris campaign struggled to maintain momentum, with campaign funds fast depleting.
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Recently, reports of internal staff disputes emerged, suggesting that all may not be well in her inner circle. In the days leading up to her sudden exit from the race, Harris appeared in a powerful advertisement where she was projected as the best candidate to take on Trump.
There were reports that the Harris campaign did not have funds to air the ad on TV. However, ironically, just as Harris was announcing the news, a Super PAC cleared $1 million in TV advertisements in Iowa.
In a note addressed to her supporters, Harris wrote: “Eleven months ago at the launch of our campaign in Oakland I told you all: ‘I am not perfect.’ But I will always speak with decency and moral clarity and treat all people with dignity and respect. I will lead with integrity. I will speak the truth. And that’s what I have tried to do every day of this campaign. So, here’s the truth today.” The note added: “I’ve taken stock and looked at this from every angle, and over the last few days have come to one of the hardest decisions of my life. My campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources we need to continue.”
Harris also announced the news on Twitter, where she wrote: “To my supporters, it is with deep regret — but also with deep gratitude — that I am suspending my campaign today.
But I want to be clear with you: I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the People. All the people.”
Harris was once seen as the darling of Indian community, a candidate that had the potential to enter the White House. However, she failed to build that momentum in the community.
Many were upset that she highlighted only her African American identity while overlooking Indian roots. It may have made sense for Harris to identify with the much larger African American identify, as Indian Americans still comprise only 1 percent of the American population.
What may have also hurt Harris was the candidature of the Hindu American Tulsi Gabbard, who outraised Harris from the Indian American community.
Meanwhile, Gabbard took to Twitter to wish Kamala. She wrote:
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1201944352727224321
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