Kansas delegate lends support to Kamala Harris’ presidential run

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Kansas Democrats are turning their attention to the Democratic National Convention next month in Chicago. The party must select and nominate a candidate for the presidential election in November.

This is usually a formality, with the candidate picked by voters months before the convention. With incumbent Joe Biden suspending his campaign, there was briefly some question about who would emerge as his replacement at the top of the ticket.

We spoke with one of the 39 delegates who will represent Kansas at the DNC. He believes Vice President Kamala Harris is the best person to lead the party.

“Democrats are going to nominate a woman to be our next president,” delegate Chris Pumpelly said. “I think the contrast is already incredibly clear and Republicans, I think, are going to realize they made a terrible choice in Donald Trump.”

Other delegates we spoke with are hoping for an open and transparent nomination process and are not yet endorsing a candidate.

In a post on Facebook, the Kansas Democratic Party said its delegation to the DNC was “proud to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris tonight to be our Democratic Presidential Nominee. We are excited about the future for our country and unified in our endorsement.”

According to Democratic Party rules, a candidate needs 1,976 delegates to become the party’s nominee. The Associated Press reports that it believes Harris has secured the necessary delegates.