Harris crosses nomination line

Democrat takes fight to Trump as she wins backing of 2,900 delegates to run for president

- Jitendra Joshi

KAMALA HARRIS headed today to the crucial battleground state of Wisconsin after gaining enough support from Democratic delegates to clear her adoption as the party’s White House nominee.

The vice-president has built up a seemingly unstoppable head of steam since Joe Biden, 81, confirmed on Sunday that he was abandoning his re-election bid, hobbled by intense and widening doubts about his mental and physical health.

A tally of delegates by the Associated Press showed that Ms Harris has won the backing of more than 2,500 party delegates, well over the bar of 1,976 needed to formally clinch the nomination when Democrats hold their convention in Chicago next month.

“Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee,” the 59-year-old said in a statement last night, after more grandees including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed her. “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”