Six key Democratic governors endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, choking off what was perhaps the last prospect for a serious challenge to her claiming the party’s presidential nomination.
Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Wes Moore of Maryland endorsed Ms. Harris within minutes of one another shortly before 10 a.m. Earlier Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky announced in a television interview that he was supporting Ms. Harris as well. All of them are seen as holding higher political ambitions.
Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin, who leads an important battleground state, endorsed Ms. Harris minutes after Mr. Pritzker, Mr. Walz and Mr. Beshear did.
The backing from Mr. Pritzker is perhaps most significant. A Chicago billionaire, he had been among the governors most frustrated with President Biden’s weekslong insistence on staying in the race. And on Sunday, the Democratic Party of Illinois — which he nominally controls — asked its delegates to “hold tight” and not endorse Ms. Harris. He alone among the governors has the personal resources to self-fund a presidential campaign.
In their endorsements, Mr. Pritzker, Mr. Walz and Mr. Moore each indicated that they had spoken with Ms. Harris on Sunday. Ms. Whitmer said she was “fired up” to support the vice president. In the final line of his five-paragraph statement, Mr. Pritzker said he hoped the vice president could become the nation’s first female president.
“I am endorsing Kamala Harris for president and will work hard to get her elected because I believe that she is the most qualified and capable person to be president,” Mr. Pritzker said. “I also think it’s past time we shatter that highest and hardest of glass ceilings and finally elect a woman as president of the United States.”
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