Alaska Dems ‘thrilled to endorse’ Harris as Biden replacement

Amid the chaos of President Biden finally agreeing to bow out of the presidential race, the Alaska Democratic Party has formally announced that it is “thrilled” to support Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate to run against Donald Trump.

In a July 22 statement, Alaska Democrats noted that they have thrown their full support behind Vice President Harris in her bid to win the White House.

“A motion to endorse Vice President Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president was adopted by the delegates, standing committee members, and pages that were present and voting at a meeting of the entire delegation on Sunday evening,” the party announced.

While Harris is trailing Trump in nearly every national poll, as well as key swing states, most Democrats see the sitting vice president as their most viable candidate to replace Biden following his July 21 announcement that he is not seeking reelection.

Alaska State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson (D-Anchorage) is one of Alaska’s at-large delegates who has thrown her support behind Harris, claiming she has a “proven record of delivering for America’s working families and protecting our fundamental freedoms.”

“I am proud to stand by her as the Democratic nominee for president,” Gray-Jackson added.

While Biden has dropped out after immense pressure from national party leaders, Alaska Democrats have tied Harris to Biden’s record.

“Vice President Harris will carry on the legacy of President Biden with unprecedented investments in Alaska and our people,” said Alaska Democrat Party Chairman Mike Wenstrup.

Wenstrup did not cite any specific investments, nor did he mention the fact that the Biden administration has angered many traditionally Democratic voters in rural Alaska with his onerous environmental agenda that has locked up key oil and gas resources.

Alaska Democrat Party Vice Chairwoman Jessica Cook noted that Biden won an “overwhelming majority of delegates” across Alaska, and Harris was part of that ticket.

Alaska’s delegates to the August Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote with delegates across the nation to determine the party’s presidential nominee. Alaska has 20 voting delegates.

Whether Harris will be able to secure enough delegates to actually become the nominee remains uncertain. While she is the front runner, she does not yet have the public support of many key Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.

In a statement issued the day Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, Obama praised the president’s decision, but he did not endorse Harris.

Alternative Democratic candidates include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, among others.

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