Schumer and Jeffries endorse Harris at Tuesday news conference
(CNN) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president during a news conference in Washington on Tuesday.
As the two top Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, Schumer and Jeffries’ endorsement shows how quickly Harris consolidated support after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid on Sunday.
One source told CNN that Schumer and Jeffries have spoken to Harris.
Harris’ candidacy has received a steady stream of endorsements that started Sunday afternoon after Biden endorsed her. Harris has the public support of more than 30 Democratic senators and more than 80 House members — a number that has been consistently increasing.
Notably, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the most influential Democratic lawmakers in Washington, endorsed Harris’ campaign in a statement Monday, citing Pelosi’s “enthusiastic support” and “immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future.”
Other high-ranking members of Democratic leadership, including Whip Katherine Clark, Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu, quickly endorsed Harris, along with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus.
However, Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately endorse Harris, at first stating that they “look forward to meeting in person with Vice President Harris shortly as we collectively work to unify the Democratic Party and the country.”
Many of Harris’ potential challengers, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, endorsed Harris, giving her a clear path to the nomination.
Plus, a wave of endorsements from state delegations Monday evening pushed her over the threshold needed to secure the Democratic nomination.