Mississippi’s delegates to the Democratic National Committee unanimously voted on Monday night to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president, aligning the state with the vast majority of delegates around the country.
“We will work diligently to ensure that she is the next president of the United States,” Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Cheikh Taylor said in a statement. “The first woman and woman of color to serve us in the highest office in the land.”
President Joe Biden on Sunday announced he was stepping aside as the Democratic nominee and endorsed Harris. Delegates to the convention will meet starting August 19 in Chicago to formally select a nominee.
But several state delegations, including Mississippi, met late Monday to confirm their support for Harris. By Monday night, Harris had the support of well more than the 1,976 delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot, according to a tally by the Associated Press.
“I know Kamala Harris, and let me tell you, the Republicans have no idea what they are about to face with her leading our ticket,” said Jacqueline Amos, a national committeewoman from Mississippi. “I call on all Democrats to join President Biden in endorsing Vice President Harris for the Presidency.
Since Biden’s departure from the election, Harris has inherited his campaign staff and $96 million in cash. She also set a new 24-hour record for presidential donations on Monday.
Taylor told Mississippi Today in an interview that it was important for Mississippi’s delegates to coalesce around Harris because an open convention would have been “very chaotic.”
“It seems at this point in time that we’re going into the convention in a very unified, very calm manner and very focused,” Taylor said. “Because in 104 days we’ll be voting for the next president of the United States.”
Though Mississippi is not a swing state, it has the highest percentage of Black voters in the country, which are the bedrock of Democratic politics. Taylor, who is Black and has served as chairman of the state party since 2023, believed Harris would fare well in the Deep South.
“She will fare extremely well in debates,” Taylor said. “Her policies that she’s promoted and endorsed and championed will be a stark contrast to what’s being presented by the Republican Party.
Harris is vetting several candidates for vice president, including Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois.
Taylor on Tuesday said he did not have a particular preference for who Harris should pick as her vice presidential running mate, but believed thee party has a “great bench” of candidates.
Update: This story has been updated with recent comments from Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Cheikh Taylor.
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