PHOENIX — Hours after Vice President Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, early supporters of Harris are weighing in.
“I was extremely elated and ecstatic," said Whitney Walker. “Senator Kamala Harris has been an inspiration to me since my first year of law school.”
Whitney Walker, who is vying for a highly coveted seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, says she has been a supporter of Harris for years. She met her at a conference in Washington D.C. a few years ago.
“I have been extremely inspired and impressed by her run by her courage to run and for her willingness to be the first," Walker said.
If Biden and Harris win in November, Harris would become the first woman, first Black and first Asian American vice president.
“This is an iconic time and I like to think many other women of color are truly thrilled and excited about his decision," said Charlene Tarver.
Charlene Tarver, another longtime supporter of Harris and candidate for the Maricopa Community Colleges Board, is impressed with the 55-year-old's resume.
In addition to her presidential run in 2019, Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate in California in 2016 after serving as the state's attorney general. Prior to that, Harris was district attorney in San Francisco. She is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants.
“She has extensive legal and policy background. She knows how to handle the national stage," Tarver said.
On the national stage, during Harris' brief presidential run, she and Biden were political rivals. They sparred on the Democratic debate stage last year.
President Trump has already taken to Twitter with a campaign ad highlighting that very moment.
Supporters like Tarver, though, believe Biden and Harris teaming up creates a balanced Democratic ticket.
“To come and meet in the middle suggests that they are both individuals that are able to put aside their differences and do what’s best for the American people," Tarver said.
While President Trump claims Harris is part of the radical left, some progressive voters have criticized Harris for her record as a prosecutor.