Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for Democratic nominee: ‘I have full confidence she will lead us to victory’

Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party nominee, saying that she has “full confidence she will lead us to victory in November.”

The former House Speaker said she had made endorsement “with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future,” in an online post on Monday, adding that her enthusiasm for Harris’ candidacy was “official, personal and political.”

Along with former president Barack Obama, Pelosi was notably absent from the initial list of high-profile Democrats who were quick to get behind Harris on Sunday, following Joe Biden’s announcement that he would be ending his reelection campaign.

However, in a statement posted around 1.30pm on Monday, Pelosi – a key powerbroker in the party – echoed words of other Democrats in described Joe Biden as “one of our country’s most consequential president’s.” She urged supporters to unify around Harris in order to “resoundingly defeat” Donald Trump in November.

“America has been truly blessed by the wisdom and leadership of President Joe Biden. With love and gratitude, I salute President Biden for always believing in the possibilities of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment,” the statement read.

“As one of our country’s most consequential presidents, President Biden has been not only on the right side of history, but on the right side of the future.

“Today, it is with immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future that I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States. My enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris for President is official, personal and political.

“Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’s strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose. Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as rooted in strong values, faith and a commitment to public service.

“Politically, make no mistake: Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute – and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November.

“In the Democratic Party, our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. Now, we must unify and charge forward to resoundingly defeat Donald Trump and enthusiastically elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States. Onward to victory!”

Following Joe Biden’s momentous announcement on Sunday, Obama released a lengthy in which he honored the president’s “remarkable career” and character, but made no mention of Harris.

Instead, he wrote that he had “extraordinary confidence” Democratic leaders would be able to “create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”

Despite silence so far from the former president, other high profile Democrats have offered their enthusiastic backing to Harris and her candidancy. Bill and Hillary Clinton wrote that they were “honored” to follow Biden’s endorsement of his vice president and would do “whatever we can to support her.”

“We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term… Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it,” the Clintons said in a joint statement.

Endorsements for Harris – which have included a mixture of State representatives and governors, senators, and civil rights organizations – continued apace on Monday.

Among them was Mary Trump, neice of former president and Harris’ would-be political rival Donald Trump, who wrote that she was “proud and honored beyond words to endorse Kamala Harris to be the 47th president of the United States.”