Democratic Party leaders across the state were quick to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President after President Joe Biden announced his exit from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday.¶
The Tennessee Democratic Party was the first in the country to announce its full delegate support for Harris in the 2024 Democratic National Convention and multiple party leaders, including Senate minority leader Raumesh Akbari, R-Memphis, posted enthusiastic messages on social media.¶
“Vice President Harris has proven herself time and again as a leader who embodies the values and aspirations of the American people. It is imperative that we come together and recognize the critical stakes of this election. Our freedom and democracy depend on our unity and resolve,” wrote Akbari on X. “Let us rally together and remember the urgency of this moment. Together, we will move forward with determination and hope.”¶
Harris' ascension has led to nationwide speculation about who she might choose as a running mate if the Democratic Party does ultimately rally around her at the convention. One leading contender is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and he has a history with an issue Tennessee Democrats have spent the last year opposing.¶
Democratic lawmakers were united in opposition to Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which would have expanded the concept of the Education Savings Account (ESA) program statewide to allow families to use taxpayer dollars to send their children to private school. The plan, sometimes referred to as vouchers, received no votes from a single Democrat as it to reach either the House or Senate floor. Debate over vouchers continues to be a hot button topic during this election cycle with Democratic candidates largely speaking against it.
