Iowa DNC delegates endorse Kamala Harris for president after Biden drops out. Here's why:

Iowa's delegation to the Democratic National Convention is unanimously backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's new presidential nominee following President Joe Biden's abrupt exit from the race.

The roughly four-dozen convention delegates held a virtual meeting Monday evening when they affirmed their support for Harris.

“This is a historic moment for our country and for Iowans," Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart, who also chairs the Iowa delegation to the convention, said in a statement. "We’ve seen a swell of support in the last 24 hours since Vice President Kamala Harris announced her campaign for the White House. Not only has Vice President Harris broken national fundraising numbers — here in Iowa, we’ve had a substantial number of people reach out asking to volunteer."

Hart said Iowans "know what's at stake this November."

"Our reproductive freedoms, our public schools, Social Security and Medicare, and our values are on the ballot," she said. "I’m proud to lead a united delegation in Chicago that will work relentlessly to elect more Democrats in Iowa and help get Kamala Harris elected as the next President of the United States.”

Harris has quickly consolidated support across the country, securing key endorsements from national figures such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as would-be rivals for the nomination, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Democratic delegations in North Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida, Tennessee and Pennsylvania had already issued endorsements of Harris. As of midafternoon Tuesday, 37 state delegations had decided to endorse her, the New York Times reported. That puts her well above the number needed to win the nomination.

Several Iowa delegates told the Des Moines Register earlier Monday that they would be backing Harris.

State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, who is a delegate to the convention, said he planned to support Harris "without a doubt."

State Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, who is also a delegate, said Harris presents a clear contrast to Donald Trump, particularly on issues such as abortion access.

"She’s ready to go, she’s been tested, she’s served as vice president and she’s the clear pick for me," he said.

Adam Peters, another delegate, pledged on Sunday to support Harris, shortly after Biden's exit from the race. He said Monday he was in shock when Biden announced he was dropping out.

"But seeing him endorse Kamala moments later after his first statement, that’s all I needed to move forward with my personal pledge," Peters said. "She is ready, she has been the vice president for 3? years. We do not have a person in a better position than her to win this election."

Peters said he doesn't think the party has any time to lose.

"I know a lot of Democrats who are saying they don’t want to coronate someone are a little bit skeptical, but we did have an open primary," he said. "Anyone could run against Joe Biden and the only two people that did were Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson. We don’t have time to have a blitz primary now as some people in the media are suggesting. We need to coalesce."

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She is also covering the 2024 presidential race for USA TODAY as a senior national campaign correspondent. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa's DNC delegates endorse Kamala Harris for president