Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party chair plans to convene vote to endorse Kamala Harris

Pennsylvania’s state Democratic Party chair said Sunday that a state party vote to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee could come within a day or two.

“As soon as we logistically can,” State Sen. Sharif Street, who leads the state Democratic Party, said at a press conference in Philadelphia on Sunday night. “I imagine in the next day or two.”

The state party endorsement is a move that is entirely separate from the process in which Pennsylvania’s 159 Democratic delegates will vote to nominate a presidential candidate. Delegates will cast their votes individually, as per the rules of the Democratic National Committee, Street said. The party’s 4,700 delegates will convene in Chicago next month to officially nominate a candidate.

According to DNC rules, delegates are pledged to vote for the nominee their district chose in the primary election in “good conscience.” But President Joe Biden’s exit from the race changes those dynamics, leaving delegates bound only to attempt to reflect the desires of the voters who chose them.

The vast majority of delegates from across the country are pledged to Biden. All of Pennsylvania’s Democratic delegates were committed to Biden before his withdrawal.

Street said he was fully behind Harris, and though he had not spoken to every delegate from Pennsylvania he indicated there is widespread support for her among delegates here as well.

“I have not heard from one delegate who said that he or she would not be supporting Vice President Harris,” he said.

Earlier on Sunday, Street signed onto a letter along with other Democratic Party chairs from swing states emphasizing their support for Biden as the nominee.

But hours later, Street found out via a news alert on his phone that Biden had dropped out.

He commended the president and said putting Harris on the ticket in his place allows Democrats to run on the administration’s record without the “distraction” of Biden’s age. He also said he expects Harris — who could become the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party’s presidential ticket — could energize the Black vote in Philadelphia.

“His age shouldn’t have been a focus but now when you look at the record the record is incredibly strong. And look, young people were reluctant to vote for someone who was the age of their grandparent and now they don’t have to do that.”