House Democrat 'absolutely not' committed to voting for Harris
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Harris is facing pushback from some of her party's own as one House Democrat underlines that he has to see what she brings to the table first.
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US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an NCAA championship teams celebration on the South Lawn of the White House, July 22, 2024. (AFP)
US Representative Jared Golden is "absolutely not" committed to voting for newly-appointed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, he said to Axios in an interview on Thursday.
The House Democrat claimed Harris' nomination was "a positive step in the right direction" for American citizens. However, Golden reiterated his stance of abstaining from voting for the current vice president, stating he was "going to wait and see what she puts forward and what her vision for the future of the country is."
"I expect to have to work to earn Mainers' votes and our candidates for president should expect the same," Golden said in a statement on Thursday.
The politician expressed that he hopes Harris will use her experience as an attorney general and prosecutor, highlighting his interest in her plans to counter inflation, safeguard entitlement, and "maintain America's leadership on the world stage."
Democrats condemn both Biden and Harris
Golden joins the list of several highly regarded congressional Democrats who have not yet endorsed Harris.
Prior to Harris' endorsement and Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race, the congressman also expressed his commitment to not vote for the current US president due to concerns about his health. Although Golden revealed his abstention for Harris, he shared "I at least know that she's capable of finishing the next four-year term."
The Maine representative and five other House Democrats voted for a resolution condemning the Biden administration and the vice president's management of the Southern border.
Golden's stance was met with criticism by his Republican counterpart Austin Theriault, stating that the congressman "took the position of every other slippery Washington politician who refuses to disclose who they're supporting for president."
Democrats nearing Kamala Harris' nomination finalization ahead of DNC
A group of Democrats will convene on Wednesday to finalize the amendment to the rules that will permit Vice President Kamala Harris to accept her party's presidential nomination many weeks ahead of the party convention in Chicago.
Held in the first week of August, the virtual roll call would officially announce the outcome of a 32-hour blitz during which Harris garnered the endorsement of most delegates without facing any opposition.
Party leaders stated that the virtual roll call first surfaced in May to ensure that the Democratic ticket would have enough time to appear on the ballot in several states with early filing deadlines.
The rule change was sparked by Ohio's deadline of August 7. Although the state moved it to September 1, it is unclear if the previous deadline still holds for the 2024 election.
During the convention week, there are deadlines in Washington State, California, Virginia, Montana, and Oklahoma.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization that aims to shape policy in any potential Trump administration, has stated that it is investigating legal alternatives to oppose attempts to replace Biden with Harris on state ballots, even though deadlines are frequently waived.
According to Dana Remus, a lawyer for the Democratic Party at Covington & Burling, any challenge to the Democratic ticket that appears on the ballot would be "at best a distraction and a delay."
Meanwhile, Minyon Moore, the former White House political director under President Bill Clinton and the chairwoman of the convention, expressed, "We will not allow technicalities or MAGA extremists to disrupt the electoral process."
