President Biden announced Sunday he will not continue his reelection bid following three weeks of increased pressures from his party to drop out. Now, as many questions remain open, Vice President Kamala Harris seems to be stepping up to the Democratic ticket ahead of the November general elections.
Harris is so far the only Democrat running to replace Biden, as no other high-profile figures within the party expressed willingness to challenge her. Moreover several public figures and Democrat rank-and-file members have publicly endorsed her, Biden among them.
In a follow-up publication after he announced his decision to drop out, Biden showed his support for Vice President Harris, highlighting her accomplishments and how proud he is to have chosen her as his running mate back in 2020.
"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's the best decision I've made," Biden posted on X. "Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."
As the campaign focus moves to Harris and her potential running mate, here's what you should know about what the Vice President stands on certain issues Latinos have highlighted as important to them in different polls and surveys.
Immigration
Vice President Harris has been greatly involved dealing with immigration throughout her tenure in the White House, being tasked to tackle its root causes that stem in Latin America. Last year, she announced $950 million in pledges from private companies to support Central American communities.
Most recently, she endorsed the popular bipartisan border security deal, which would have closed the border if crossings reached a certain threshold, and it would have funded thousands of new border security agents and asylum officers. However, the bill ultimately didn't pass, as former President Donald Trump urged Congress Republicans to oppose it.
Economy
Given her current position as Vice President, Harris is expected to continue supporting some of the Biden administration's economic policy, such as the Infrastructure Deal, funding for small business and the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a cap on insulin costs.
In April, Harris also announced a nationwide "Economic Opportunity Tour" to promote the administration's progress in investments toward inflation and student loan forgiveness, according to Business Insider.
In May, she also said their policies to combat climate change would bring economic benefits by creating jobs in the renewable energy industry. Later, she also promoted more than $100 million in Energy Department grants for auto parts manufacturers to pivot to electric vehicles, which she said would "help to keep out auto supply chains here in America," The New York Times reported.
As a Senator, she also took on income inequality by introducing legislation that would have provided a tax credit of up to $6,000 for middle- and low-income families.
Abortion
Harris is an avid pro-choice believer. After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, she became central to the Biden administration's efforts to keep abortion in the spotlight. In March, she made what was believed to be the first official visit to an abortion clinic by a president or vice president, according to the New York Times.
As a Senator, she cosponsored legislation that would have banned common state-level restrictions, like requiring doctors to perform specific tests or have hospital admitting privileges in order to provide abortions.
Climate Change
She has supported the Biden administration's climate efforts, including legislation that provided hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits and rebates for renewable energy and electric vehicles.
"It is clear the click is not just ticking, it's banging," she said in a speech last year, referring to increasingly severe and frequent disasters credited to climate change. "And that is why, one year ago, President Biden and I made the largest climate investment in America's history."
During her 2020 presidential campaign, and as vice president, she has emphasized the need for environmental justice, a framework that calls for policies to address the adverse effects that climate change has on poor communities and people of color.
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