The Mississippi delegates deliberated for just over an hour before agreeing to throw their support behind Kamala Harris. Derrick Simmons is the minority leader in the Mississippi Senate and one of the state's delegates. He says it was clear to all the delegates that Harris would be an effective champion for progressive causes like abortion access and lowering the price of prescription drugs.
"It's easy for us when we have Vice President Harris basically taking the baton and marching us to victory on November the 5th, because she's been doing it for four years for President Biden," Simmons said.
When the delegates gathered to make their decision, it was already evident Harris would be the party's choice to replace Biden atop the ticket. In the 24 hours after Biden dropped out of the race, Harris raised a record-breaking $81 million for her campaign and received endorsements from a slew of prominent party figures.
Robert Johnson is the minority leader in the Mississippi House and one of the state's delegates. He believes that Harris is a capable candidate the party can rally behind and is excited to see the momentum she has. But he's also disappointed that the effort from national Democrats to push Biden to drop out was broadcast to the entire country.
"I never liked the idea that this situation was played out publicly," Johnson said. ..."I just respect the fact that the President took his time and made an evaluation about what is best for the country, what was best for the Democratic Party and he made that decision."
As of Monday night, 2,579 democratic delegates had pledged their support to Kamala Harris, according to an Associated Press survey. To secure the party's nomination, she just needs 1,976.
