Harris’ California record offers clues into her political future
- Harris has served as California's attorney general and a district attorney
- Critics say she fueled mass incarceration, opposed criminal justice reform
- Harris is expected to run for president on abortion rights
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Rocket Foundation Summit On Gun Violence Prevention. She President Kamala Harris is the front-runner to take over as the Democratic nominee. (Getty/Prince Williams/WireImage)
maylen
(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris has received both praise and criticism in California, where her political career includes serving as the state’s attorney general and San Francisco’s district attorney.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden formally endorsed Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee after announcing the end of his reelection bid.
Harris is off to a fast start. She raised nearly $50 million in less than a full day after Biden’s announcement.
Harris says she’ll do everything in her power to unite Democrats and the nation and defeat former President Donald Trump.
Harris’ California focus: Crime and abortion
In terms of criminal justice, Harris had a tougher-on-crime reputation compared to current California progressives. However, it was a different era, one before the surge in crime triggered by the murder of George Floyd and the coronavirus pandemic.
Critics on the Left argue that as attorney general, Harris fueled mass incarceration by opposing criminal justice reform and fighting to uphold wrongful convictions.
Her record on the death penalty is mixed — while she vowed never to seek it as district attorney, she later argued that it should stand as attorney general.
Harris has faced criticism for not seeking the death penalty in the 2004 murder of a San Francisco police officer, a case that’s likely to resurface in the coming weeks.
She has also threatened to jail parents of chronically absent school kids.
Where does Harris stand on abortion?
Harris is a staunch supporter of reproductive health rights and is likely to take a very aggressive stance on abortion access, perhaps in a much more high-profile manner than Biden, who’s a practicing Catholic.
As a senator, Harris co-sponsored legislation to ban state-level restrictions on abortion. As vice president, she became the first to visit a Planned Parenthood clinic.
According to Pew Research, 63% of Americans believe abortion should be legal. It’s an issue Trump believes should be left up to the states, while Republican running mate JD Vance has argued abortion should be outlawed nationally.
