Rise of Kamala Harris: A distinguished legal career

Kamala Harris (full name Kamala Devi Harris) was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents. On her father’s side, she has Afro-Jamaican roots, while her mother is of Indian descent. Her father taught economics at Stanford University, and her mother was a biomedical researcher.

In 1982, Harris enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) founded to provide education for African Americans. She graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science and interned in the office of Democratic Senator Alan Cranston. During her studies, she was a member of an African American sorority, participated in university debates, and advocated for civil rights and the end of apartheid in South Africa. From 1986 to 1989, Harris studied law at the University of California and led the Black Law Students Association.

Professional Career

In 1990, Harris became a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California. In 1994, she joined the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later the state’s Medical Assistance Commission. In 1998, she was appointed assistant district attorney in San Francisco, leading cases on recidivism, homicides, thefts, and assaults. In 2000, she moved to the San Francisco mayor’s office, heading the Department of Family and Children’s Services, handling cases of homelessness and child abuse.

In 2003, Harris was elected as the district attorney of San Francisco, serving from 2004 to 2011. In 2010, she won the election for California Attorney General, taking office in 2011 and serving until 2017. She focused on increasing transparency in law enforcement and investigating police misconduct.

In Congress

Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016, joining the judiciary, intelligence, budget, and homeland security committees. She criticized President Donald Trump’s administration (2017-2021) for policies such as the trade deal with China and the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. In 2017, she voted in favor of the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act," which increased sanctions on Russia.

Vice Presidency

In January 2019, Harris announced her presidential campaign but withdrew before the primaries and endorsed Joe Biden. In November 2020, the Biden-Harris ticket defeated Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Harris resigned from the Senate two days before the inauguration and became vice president on January 20, 2021, making history as the first woman, African American, and Asian American to hold the office.

As vice president, she presides over the Senate, casting tie-breaking votes (she has done so 33 times, a record). She also participates in Cabinet meetings, undertakes presidential assignments, and represents the U.S. on foreign trips. Harris has focused on voting rights and migration issues along the southern border. In 2021, she visited Central American countries to develop joint solutions to reduce migration through Mexico. Under her initiative, anti-corruption and anti-human trafficking task forces were established with these countries. Harris has also spoken at the Munich Security Conference and led U.S. delegations at key events such as the ASEAN summit in 2023 and the Ukraine conference in Switzerland in 2024.

On November 19, 2021, Harris briefly served as acting president while Biden underwent a medical procedure requiring anesthesia.

2024 Presidential Election
During the 2024 campaign, Harris was once again Biden’s running mate. However, on July 21, Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. On August 6, the Democratic National Committee officially nominated Harris for president. In an online vote held from August 1 to 5, Harris received 99% support from the convention delegates. She formally accepted the nomination, becoming the party’s candidate.

Political Views
Harris is associated with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which includes advocates for feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and populist causes. Analysts believe her policies, if elected president, will largely align with the Biden administration’s agenda.

Harris supports stricter gun control laws, including banning assault weapons, reforming law enforcement, abolishing the death penalty, raising taxes on large financial institutions, and expanding social programs. She advocates for the transition to renewable energy and supports the federal legalization of marijuana and leniency for non-violent drug offenses. Harris is also a proponent of abortion rights, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling leaving abortion legislation to individual states.

Initially, Harris supported Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for All" proposal, which aimed to eliminate private insurance in favor of government-funded healthcare. However, she later advocated for giving people a choice between private and public insurance.

In foreign policy, Harris backs strengthening ties with NATO allies and Asia-Pacific partners. She has criticized China for "intimidating" its neighbors and called for closer U.S. relations with Taiwan. Following Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, she supported Israel’s military operations in Gaza but later urged a ceasefire due to civilian casualties. However, she justified Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, stating that "Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorist organizations."

Harris supports continued economic and political pressure on Russia and aid to Ukraine. At the 2024 Swiss conference, she stated that U.S. support for Ukraine is not charity but a matter of strategic national interest.

Personal Life

Since 2014, Harris has been married to lawyer Douglas Emhoff, who became the first "second gentleman" in U.S. history. He left his position at DLA Piper law firm to teach at Georgetown University. Emhoff has two children from a previous marriage. In 2024, Forbes estimated their combined net worth at $8 million.

Harris is a member of the Baptist Church. In April 2022, Russia placed her on a permanent sanctions list.

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