On Sunday, President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris not long after. Harris also has the endorsement from EMILYs List, a group dedicated to supporting pro-abortion Democratic women.
The endorsement was shared on Sunday afternoon over the group's X account, referring to Harris as "a qualified accomplished leader." The post also claimed that Harris "is the only candidate positioned to win against Trump in November, and the best voice to define the stakes in this election!"
We’re proud to endorse @kamalaharris as the next president of the United States because we know she is a qualified accomplished leader. She is the only candidate positioned to win against Trump in November, and the best voice to define the stakes in this election! #allinforkamala pic.twitter.com/CmdgImMaDz
— EMILYs List 🥥🌴 (@emilyslist) July 21, 2024
A press release was also sent out on Sunday about the endorsement. "A qualified and groundbreaking leader, Vice President Harris is the only candidate positioned to win this election and the best voice to define the stakes for voters, in particular on abortion rights," the press release mentioned in part.
This looks to be a theme, despite how multiple polls have shown Harris fares even more poorly against former and potentially future President Donald Trump than Biden did.
"EMILYs List is proud to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, an extraordinary and accomplished leader, as the next president of the United States. She is the most qualified and most prepared candidate to meet this unprecedented moment and lead the country," Jessica Mackler, the group's president, said in a statement. "And in a moment when Republicans have launched a full-scale attack on our reproductive rights, an issue that will be the driving force for Democratic wins, Vice President Harris is our most powerful advocate and messenger on this issue. She is the best candidate to carry this campaign to victory and to lead this country forward, and she is far and away the best choice to prosecute the case against Donald Trump. We are thrilled to stand with her."
Recommended
The press release highlighted Harris' views on other issues, going for a rather rosy way of framing her record. It all comes back to abortion, though:
The Biden-Harris administration has been one of the most productive in history, working to expand reproductive rights and voting rights, rebuild our infrastructure and economy, fight inflation, and address our changing climate. They have lowered prescription costs, forgiven billions in student loan debt, and created record jobs. Vice President Harris has been a vital voice on key domestic issues and has built critical relationships with more than 150 leaders from around the world. She has been an especially powerful advocate for abortion rights, and broke new barriers as the first Vice President to visit an abortion provider and to invite abortion providers to the White House. She has cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate a record-breaking number of times, often to pass key pieces of legislation.
The group sent out another email message on Monday morning.
"I know firsthand how qualified Kamala Harris is, how ready to meet this unprecedented moment she is, and how prepared she is to lead the country," the email from Mackler, who signs her emails using her pronouns, read in part. "And in a moment when Republicans have launched a full-scale attack on our reproductive rights — an issue that will be the driving force for Democratic wins this November — Vice President Harris is our most powerful advocate and messenger on the issue of reproductive freedom."
A June poll from Cygnal poll shows that democracy looks to be the most pressing issue for Democrats, and that abortion is not so much a pressing issue for voters, even for Democrats.
That Monday email is a follow-up from a Sunday email, which includes more puffery about Harris' supposed strengths [Emphasis original]:
As Vice President, Kamala Harris has been a steadfast voice for all of us. She has been a tireless advocate for our most fundamental freedoms, including abortion rights and voting rights. She is the only Democratic candidate with experience on a national stage and in a presidential general election. And she has already been chosen by millions of voters, because they know that she can be counted on to protect their rights.
This election will be fought and won on the issue of reproductive freedom, and Vice President Harris has been a tireless pro-choice champion. She is well-positioned to reach, motivate, and turn out the voters we will need to win this election, especially women, independents, voters of color, and young voters.
While Harris may have "already been chosen by millions of voters," as part of the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, she herself ran for president and didn't even make it to a primary contest on the national stage in 2020. She dropped out in December 2019.
There's also no mention of the border crisis. In addition to being an abortion czar, Biden bestowed the role of border czar on Harris back in 2021. Republicans have already capitalized on her failures with such an issue.
The White House has yet to get its way when it comes to the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA). Such legislation would not merely codify Roe v. Wade, but would expand the decision by legalizing abortion in all 50 states for any reason without limit. That does not look to have deterred Harris, though.
The abortion issue is where Harris looks to be at home. This is not merely when it comes to her role as vice president, but as a senator for California, as well as the state's attorney general before that, as EMILYs List speaks to. What the group does not speak to, is how Harris has bullied pro-lifers, as well as how she supports abortion for any reason up until birth and paid for by taxpayer dollars. She's even voted against protecting babies born alive from abortion.
Meanwhile, Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, released a statement of her own highlighting Harris' record in contrast to the Trump-Vance ticket:
“Kamala Harris is determined to impose on all 50 states all-trimester abortion without any limits, even painful late-term abortions in the 7th, 8th, and 9th month of pregnancy. Harris is so committed to abortion that she can’t see anything else – including the developmental stages of children before birth or the real needs of women. Questioned several times on national television, Harris refused to name a single limit on abortion she supports. She’s even praised efforts to shut down pregnancy care centers which provide real support for women and families in need while becoming the first sitting vice president to campaign at an abortion business. While Joe Biden has trouble saying the word abortion, Kamala Harris shouts it.
“In contrast, President Trump, JD Vance, and the GOP reject the Democrat attempt to impose abortion on-demand across all 50 states and support the right of states to place limits on abortion. They support providing real options to mothers in need.
“SBA Pro-Life America is leading the charge on the ground, delivering this contrast to over 10 million voters across the eight key battleground states that will determine the outcome of this election.”
The group also put out a thread from their X account, highlighting Harris' role as the abortion czar.
5 things to know about Abortion Czar Kamala Harris
— SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) July 22, 2024
While @JoeBiden has trouble saying the word abortion, @KamalaHarris shouts it.
The Abortion Lobby’s preferred candidate is a long way from California, but her extreme anti-life views have not changed.
1/🧵 pic.twitter.com/egbOHFdYzD
Join the conversation as a VIP Member