Kamala-Harris-2020

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich wrote a piece Tuesday for Newsweek predicting that Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee to face Donald Trump in 2020. Gingrich's opinion came after the first round of Democratic debates, where 20 candidates took the stage over the course of two nights. "Kamala Harris had the best debate of the 20 people on stage," Gingrich wrote. "She had the best one-liner. She had the most commanding presence. She felt the most energized and best prepared."Gingrich worked as a political analyst for Fox News after his failed presidential run in 2012. Before that, Gingrich was the representative for Georgia's 6th district for 20 years, from 1979 to 1999.Gingrich's analysis comes as polls following the first debates show Kamala Harris surging into second place behind former Vice President Joe Biden. Harris was seen as the winner of the Thursday night debate after a heated confrontation with Biden about his stance on anti-bussing politics and comments that he made reportedly praising segregationist senators."This was post-debate, and we have a long way to go," Mary Snow, polling analyst at the Quinnipiac University Poll, said to CNBC. "It's six months before any presidential nominating contests. So we always want to keep that perspective."Gingrich's analysis of the primary says the final stretch will come down to two of the debate's stronger performers, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Harris."It looks like the finalists in the struggle for the Democratic nomination for president may be two senators — one from each coast. If this is the case, the choice may come down to Warren's icy intelligence versus Harris's passionate crowd pleasing," Gingrich wrote. "I would bet on Harris winning that showdown."This analysis may spark some excitement, but Gingrich quickly went back to his right wing talking points in a separate appearance Wednesday on Fox News, where he predicted a 2020 Trump...

This piece was submitted from a member of our enthusiastic community of readers. If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, check out our how-to post to learn more.Night two on the debate stage was the Purple group. This group includes former vice president Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vermont), Sen. Kamala Harris (California), South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Michael Bennet (Colorado), Marianne Williamson, Rep. Eric Swalwell (California), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), Andrew Yang, and former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper.For night two, we saw Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, Jose Diaz-Balart, Rachel Maddow, and Chuck Todd return to moderate the debate. While night one was the picture of civility, night two will be remembered for candidates attempting to shout over each other while scarcely answering their question so they could answer the previous question.While Beto was easy picking on night one, Biden was the target of multiple candidate’s ire on night two. As the incumbent from the previous Democratic administration, he launched his campaign with the most name recognition and was the first projected to beat President Trump. In addition, he’s fumbled quite a few issues with race and policy in the last few weeks, making him a prime target for other candidates.On night one of the debate, there were very clear front runners. On night two, that conclusion is much harder to reach. My initial gut reaction is Harris and Buttigieg had the strongest showing with Marianne Williamson sputtering out early on in the night.My quick opinions on each candidate: Former VP Joe Biden showed the American people he did in fact work with President Obama, and during the course of his career, he put into place many solutions that worked for the American people. During the two hours, Kamala Harris confronted Biden for his support of former Senator James Easton’s policies and his stance on busing students a few decades ago. Sen. Swalwell also insisted he pass the torch to the younger generation because they’re the ones who will fix the current policies. While he wasn’t the strongest candidate, he did put up a fight. Will it be enough to get the nomination? Probably not.As we’ve seen in the past, Senator Bernie Sanders advocated for a revolution. He wants to take down the greed and corruption in big corporations. But what else is he advocating for? For one, he admitted his plan to cover Medicare for all will include higher taxes on the middle class, effectively saying what you pay in taxes will offset the cost of the medication. He wants to address the root cause of southern immigration, and he believes that fixing the economy will effectively solve most, if not all, problems that we face in society today.There was an incredibly strong showing from Kamala Harris. This wasn’t unexpected, as she has the chops to go toe-to-toe with any candidate, including President Trump. When the candidates started shouting over each other, she insisted they calm down because “America does not want to witness a food fight. They want to know how we’re going to put food on their table.” I almost counted Kamala out, but after this showing, I believe that she will be a strong contender for the Office of President.Mayor Buttigieg also had a strong showing. Thankfully, he was the only candidate that attempted to speak Spanish, and he laid out a plan for immigration reform, gun reform, and free college for low, and middle income students. When pressed about the shooting of Eric Logan, he admitted that all of the training his officers had failed to stop the shooting, and he looked rather distressed when Representative Swalwell insisted he should fire the chief for this incident.Senator Bennett didn’t speak much, but he did have quite a bit to say about health care and immigration.Marianne Williamson had some of the most bizarre answers of the entire night. When asked what is the first thing she would do in office, Marianne said she was going to call the President of New Zealand to informer her that America is going to be the best place for a child to grow up. She also equated all of the plans being proposed to “superficial fixes,” and she made sure to end her speech by saying she was going to “harness love” to beat President Trump. I believe tonight she’s ruled herself out as a serious contender for the Office of President.Representative Swalwell was fiery in this date. He was the first to call out VP Biden, insisting he pass the torch on to the next generation because they have the ideas and fire to fix climate change and other policies that are plaguing the U.S.Senator Gillibrand was incredibly aggressive during the debate. At nearly every question and comment she tried to interject her thoughts. While this strategy might be off-putting, I believe it worked in her favor. For those of us that didn’t know who she is, it gave us more of an opportunity to evaluator her. If you’re curious what her stance is on race, she essentially stated that solving economic problems will reduce division in the U.S. She will be an interesting contender to watch, but I know she won’t have my final vote.Andrew Yang is a one topic candidate. He wants to provide a $1000 per month Freedom Dividend for every U.S. citizen via a tax of tech companies. While I was initially excited about this opportunity, I don’t think Yang has thought through any other policies that would ultimately be at the forefront of this Presidential campaign season.Former Governor Hickenlooper set out to be the antithesis of Bernie Sanders. He advocated for progressive policies without socialism. For him, it’s a language issue because he’s concerned that Republicans will call out the party for being socialist thereby effectively handing the Presidency back to President Trump. A shining moment for Hickenlooper was when he equated the immigration policies and detention facilities along the southern border to child...

Democratic senator and 2020 presidential hopeful Kamala Harris is raising funds for abortion groups to combat controversial abortion bans. Georgia and Alabama passed sweeping legislation limiting reproductive rights earlier this week. According to HuffPost, Harris sent out an email Wednesday to media to announce her plan to fight back.“Outlawing access to abortion ― including in cases of rape or incest. Threatening to punish doctors who provide abortion care with up to 99 years of jail time. This isn’t a scene from 'The Handmaid’s Tale.' This is happening in Alabama ― in our country ― in the year 2019,” the statement read. The email asked donors to give to increase access and protect women's right to safe abortions. Organizations such as the Yellowhammer Fund based in Alabama, the Clinic Vest Project, ARC Southeast and the National Network of Abortion Funds are mentioned in the statement. Harris' vow to fight the controversial laws come after a visit in Nashua, N.H. During the recent campaign stop at Girls Inc., she told 300 people it was her mission to uphold Roe v. Wade decision making abortion legal. She added she would appoint justices to the Supreme Court that would uphold the landmark abortion decision ensuring the rights of women.“A very significant factor for consideration of anybody for the United States Supreme Court [is] whether they are willing to agree with precedent and agree that this is an issue about a woman’s right to privacy, ” she said.Within the matter of a day, the 54-year-old politician raised approximately $160,000. The initial goal according to a tweet from her campaign was $80,000. I’m sick and tired of these attacks on women’s rights. We are fighting to raise $80,000 for the organizations on the front lines of this fight. Pitch in today: https://t.co/jESkDv4whb— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 16, 2019Other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates are spearheading fundraising campaigns for organizations as well. Most notably is Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He has asked his supporters to raise funds for NARAL.Now, check these out:   Trump Wants Death Penalty For Anyone Convicted Of Killing A Cop Athlete At Florida HBCU Says He's Shocked By The Number Of White Students: 'I Thought There Would Be More Black People' Ayesha Curry Reveals Why She Sometimes Doesn't Feel Like She Fits In With The Black Community...

First quarter fundraising totals have been released and Bernie Sanders has established himself as a clear front-runner among the democrats. Sanders has earned a total of $18.2 million in the first 41 days of his campaign.While other presidential hopefuls are yet to announce their totals (and are not required to until April 15), Sanders is expected to remain the lead among Democrats.Coming in just behind Sanders’ total, Kamala Harris posted an impressive $12 million for her campaign. Most surprisingly, Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, IN, brought in a total of $7 million despite having very little name recognition by comparison to other democratic presidential hopefuls.As promised, here’s a more complete breakdown our Q1 fundraising metrics, including number of donors (158,550), average donation ($36.35), and the percent of our total raised that came in through contributions under $200 (64%) -- second half of video to follow. #PeteforAmerica pic.twitter.com/41gedmRiNW— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 2, 2019 The field, however, is not yet set. Many highly-rumored potential candidates - like Joe Biden and Stacey Abrams - are yet to officially announce their intentions for 2020. Though they seem to be keeping spots warm for themselves. In #LeadFromTheOutside, I explore how to be intentional about plans, but flexible enough to adapt. 20 years ago, I never thought I’d be ready to run for POTUS before 2028. But life comes at you fast - as I shared in Q&A w @Yamiche at @sxsw. Now 2020 is definitely on the table...— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) March 11, 2019  The amount of money raised this cycle is less by comparison to previous years, as reliance on big money donors has come to be view negatively by democratic voters. In 2016, Hillary Clinton raised more than $45 million and prior to the 2008 primary she’d brought in $36 million. Barack Obama reported $26 million in the same time frame. Sanders also led in terms of numbers of donors, with 525,000 unique donors. Still, that total falls well short of his stated goal of 1 million.An incredible 525,000 people have already contributed to our campaign. The most common profession? Teachers. The average donation? Just $20. This campaign is about all of us—not billionaire donors and Super PACs.— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 2, 2019 Now check these out: 11 Black Political Commentators That Will Have All The Tea On The 2020 ElectionHow To Hold Your Representative Accountable7 Things To Know About Kamala Harris’ Bid For Presidential...

After months of rumors, Kamala Harris (D-CA)has officially announced her candidacy for president of the United States.. The response to this announcement have been somewhat mixed, ranging from flattering comparisons to Shirley Chisholm to disappointing criticisms of her political career. Before casting any preliminary judgements on Harris, here are a few things to know about her political career.1.) Kamala Has Been Breaking Barriers Since the Start of Her Political CareerKamala Harris first began her career as a deputy district attorney for the Alameda County DA’s office until 2004, when she became the first woman to serve as the district attorney of San Francisco. She then went on to become the first Black woman to serve as the attorney general for the state of California. In 2017, Harris was elected to the Senate, making her the first Southeast Asian and second Black woman in California to be elected to this coveted seat. Given her history as a political pioneer, it is only natural that she become the first Southeast Asian and the second Black woman to ever run for president of the United States.2.) In California, She Has Co-sponsored of Many Progressive BillsOne of Kamala Harris’ favorite political actions as a California politician was to get behind legislation or lawsuits that tackled any key issues she believed were worth advocating for. She has co-sponsored a bill in 2017 that called for a reform of the cash bail system. Additionally, she introduced legislation to provide affordable higher education for students battling debt. When it comes to continuing policies from former President Barack Obama's legacy, she has supported the Affordable Care Act as well as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on behalf of the DREAMers.3.) Many Are Concerned About Her Candidacy Due to Her Past as a Former ProsecutorKamala Harris spent most of her political career serving as a prosecutor for 25 years. Her decisions, particularly as an attorney general, have been criticized by many who believe her past decisions will inform the types of criminal justice policies she would put in place as president. A 2010 video resurfaced of Harris speaking on her time as San Francisco District Attorney. In the video, Harris discussed her anti-truancy bill which charged the parents of students who had more than 3 unexcused absences from school. Critics point to such admissions as examples of Harris's contribution to the intermingling of the education and criminal justice systems. Some are even equating her potential presidency to putting a police officer in the White House, drawing attention to her support for policies that sustained mass incarceration and harsher sentencing laws in California. 4.) She Was One Of The Folks Who Cast A Senate Vote In Favor Of FOSTA-SESTAIn 2018, Harris faced a lot of criticism after she released a statement defending her vote for the controversial FOSTA-SESTA legislation. She focused her decision on tackling Backpage.com and sex traffickers, but did not acknowledge how the bills would affect sex workers, who depend on this site and others like it as a screening tool and safety measure, in addition to supplying a steady income.. Although Harris framed her vote around Backpage and other online sex websites, she also has a past of fighting against the decriminalization of prostitution.5.) She Was the One Who Shook up Jeff Sessions in a Senate Interrogation About is Alleged Conversations Between Trump and RussiaPrior to Auntie Maxine Waters’ “reclaiming my time” comments, Kamala Harris’ viral pressure toward the former U.S.attorney general during a Senate hearing.I questioned Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The American people don’t deserve evasion - we deserve the truth. pic.twitter.com/rIcE6ATDcl— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) June 14, 2017For those outside of California, Harris’ questioning of Sessions put her on the radar of potential voters and campaign donors as someone who is not only “tough on crime,” but able to hold her ground in the midst of the intense hearings. Her interrogation tactics were likened to her time as a prosecutor, as she displayed a no-nonsense composure and swift demand for answers in the Senate case.6.) She Questioned Brett Kavanaugh During His Confirmation HearingHarris has a thing for being at the forefront of asking the tough questions. During the Kavanaugh hearing, she cross-examined him on his willingness to probe an FBI investigation into the allegations of sexual assault against him, if were to be sworn in. She also requested answers regarding Robert Mueller’s investigation and women’s reproductive rights. After her interrogation, Harris was one of the many Democrats that voted no on his confirmation to the Supreme Court.7.) Harris Has Already Gathered a Lot of Support in Her Presidential CampaignWithin 24 hours of announcing her run for president, Harris raised enough money — over $1.5 million — from donors, tying Bernie Sanders’ fundraising record. She proudly broadcasted on her campaign website that she will not take any money from corporate PACs following in the footsteps of many politicians looking to present themselves as anti-establishment. She has also already snagged former staffers from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and might even get an endorsement from Barack Obama due to their past political connection.Kamala Harris has a long way to go before voters start casting their ballots. But her rise through the high ranks of political power has both propelled her to the comfortable image of her as a presidential candidate, while also leaving behind a trail of contradictory stances throughout her career. As the 2020 presidential election nears, all eyes are on Harris as a top contender to bring the Trump house down and clean up a few messes along the way.Make sure you're following Blavity:Politics on Instagram and join our daily newsletter to stay engaged and informed.Now, check this out:Nope, Don't Even Think About Calling Kamala Harris The 'Female Barack Obama'Sen. Kamala Harris Targeted By New Birther Conspiracy Days After Announcing White House BidHere's How Kamala Harris Is Paying Tribute to Shirley Chislom In Her New Presidential...

After Sen. Kamala Harris announced her presidential bid earlier this week, the buzz around the California politician has sparked comparisons to former President Barack Obama. Almost a decade ago, the 54-year-old was first called the "female Obama" by late PBS journalist Gwen Ifill during an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman." The label would stick as Harris' political career took off. Supporters were quick to point out that Harris is her brand of politician and not a female counterpart to anyone. Harris threw her hat into the already crowded Democratic field for the 2020 presidential election on the MLK holiday -- the same day as political icon Shirley Chisholm announced her historic bid. According to Yahoo News, her mixed-heritage, however, has been a sticking point for the right and the left. Harris has been dubbed the "Female Barack Obama" because of mixed-race background and political prowess. She is the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, while the former president is a son to a Kenyan father and white mother.Politically, their principles are moderate. Some on the left wish the two were more left-leaning in certain areas like civil rights. Critics have claimed the California congresswoman has only embraced her Blackness to attract the coveted Black voting bloc.  CNN states her membership with Black sorority group Alpha Kappa Alphas will help sway Black voters. The AKAs have an estimated 300,000-plus membership. People need to stop comparing @kamalaHarris .She's neither the female Obama nor the black Hillary. Her resume qualifies her distinctively.— Sir Jonathan💿 (@Sirjonathan_ke) January 22, 2019Kamala Harris is NOT - the next Shirley Chisholm - the female Barack Obama - A likable Hillary Clinton - Eric Holder in a skirt.She is Kamala Devi Harris, the first Black AG of the 4th largest Economy in the world. When she announces refrain from sexist racist comparisons.— Elect Kamala Harris (@KamalaDraft) January 2, 2019Concerning the Obama comparisons, CNN notes Harris has an impressive resume that does not have to rely on other Black Excellence.The former prosecutor is the first woman of Indian-American descent to serve in the U.S. Senate. She was also the first woman, Black, Indian American or South Asian, to be district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general in the state of California.Defenders have called the Obama comparison a ploy by the media. “That’s some crap a White male journalist came up with thinking it would be catchy,” one user tweeted. “Black Women don’t need to follow in the steps of Black men. They create their own path!”In 2018, Harris dismissed the comparison herself saying: “I’m my own person, not someone else.”CNBC reports Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden, who is expected to run, are the two likely candidates to receive an endorsement from Obama. Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Sen. Kamala Harris Targeted By New Birther Conspiracy Days After Announcing White House BidTwo Detroit Girls Missing After Taking Out The TrashTaraji P. Henson Speaks Out After Seemingly Criticizing The #MuteRKelly Movement On...

California Senator Kamala Harris announced she'd be on the Democratic 2020 presidential ticket during what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.'s 90th birthday on Monday. The former prosecutor's recently launched campaign paid tribute to Shirley Chisholm, the first Black person and woman to run for president.It was 47 years to the day when Chisholm took on the political establishment with her historic bid. She previously made history in 1968 by becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress. The logo the Harris campaign chose shares similarities to Chisholm's red and yellow campaign buttons. Interesting Tidbit: Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman ever to run for president, launched her campaign 47 years ago.#KamalaHarris chose yellow and red for her campaign logo in a nod to Chisholm's bid for president with its red and yellow campaign buttons. pic.twitter.com/gf53gIl7DE— Trevor Joseph Newton (@TrevJoseph) January 21, 2019Harris' camp also used similar typography in her logo and in the campaign promotional materials to evoke the historic nature of her bid. As CBS News notes, there are parallels between the pair.They are both children of Caribbean immigrants. The California senator's mother is Southeast Asian, and her father is Jamaican. She is the first person of Southeast Asian descent to run for president, as well.With the announcement, Harris becomes the clear frontrunner and fourth woman to join the Democratic candidates. She along with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former President Barack Obama cabinet member Julian Castro are the three to beat in what is expected to be a crowded field. Facts about @KamalaHarris: -She is biracial (parents are immigrants from Jamaica and India) -She’s the 2nd black woman and 1st South Asian-American Senator -Her logo is inspired by the late Shirley Chisholm (1st black woman to run for president).https://t.co/9h3QfmNI0F— Anna-Lysa Gayle (@ABC7Annalysa) January 21, 2019It is not taken lightly by many that nearly 50 years after Shirley Chisholm, the first woman & African-American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972), @KamalaHarris announces her presidential campaign.— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) January 21, 2019However, Harris' past as a prosecutor has raised incited skepticism from Black liberals. HuffPost reports the criticism stemmed from her time as a district attorney in San Francisco and California's attorney general. Activists said she helped to strengthen the prison system in the state while serving as AG. Some law experts also stated she often took the wrong side of history on cases -- reportedly fighting hard to uphold wrongful convictions. “I can tell you of the cases where I really regret that we were not able to charge somebody that molested a child but the evidence wasn’t there," Harris said in her first press conference at Howard as a presidential candidate on Monday."There are cases ... where there were folks who made a decision in my office who did not consult with me and I wish they had. But again, I take full responsibility for those decisions.”All I can say for us as a people is, do your research before jumping on the bandwagon of just voting because someone is Black. Also, please don’t ever compare her to Shirley Chisholm. https://t.co/4sH7arMEQl— E. Blake (@EricaLBlake) January 21, 2019Undeniable interest in Harris among Dems, but she's still largely undefined. Interesting Qs in next couple months: 1) Does she center economic policy 2) how can she square prosecutor record w/ "woke" campaign 3) can she pull off obama-esque Iowa appeal https://t.co/PIgYFn6cab— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) January 21, 2019Despite the pushback, she said she is proud of her time as attorney general. She spearheaded an initiative in the state that allowed first-time nonviolent offenders to have charges dismissed when they completed vocational training. Harris vows to stick to her promise of fighting for justice reform.“There are fundamental flaws in the criminal justice system and ... this criminal justice system needs to be reformed,” she said.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:MLK Is Our Hero, But Bayard Rustin Was The Real MVP Native American Activist Nathan Phillips Speaks Out After MAGA Hat Teens Harassed Him And Others After 3 Years, No One Is Behind Bars For The Ongoing Flint Water Crisis...