Kamala Harris Backed By All Worcester County DNC Delegates

WORCESTER, MA — Key Democrats in Worcester County have aligned behind the nascent presidential campaign of Kamala Harris following President Joe Biden's announcement Sunday that he would drop out of the race.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern came out early in support of Harris, saying in a Sunday evening tweet that he "wholeheartedly" endorses Harris.

"Throughout her career in public service she has shown an incredible ability to bring people together, take on the big banks & special interests, stand up for the underdog, & fight for what she believes in," he said.

McGovern is a Democratic delegate who will be part of the nominating convention in Chicago beginning Aug. 19. No other potential Democratic presidential candidates had emerged as of Monday, but it's possible Harris could face challengers from within her party.

Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty Jr., also a DNC delegate, said Monday he's also behind Harris. Worcester School Committee member Molly McCullough, an alternate delegate, also said she would support the vice president.

Reached by phone Monday, Petty said Biden has been an outstanding president, vice president and senator, but was enthusiastic about Harris' candidacy.

Joining McCullough and Petty were the remaining delegates from the county, including former Shrewsbury School Committee member Jason Palitsch, state Rep. Kate Donaghue, D-Westborough, former Worcester city councilor William Eddy, Roberta Goldman of Shrewsbury, state Sen. Mike Moore staffer Doreen Goodrich, Ella Hogan of Holden and David Keating of Worcester.

"With a Supreme Court that continues to chip away at basic human rights and democracy at stake, we need someone who will fight for these rights, including a woman's right to choose. Vice President Harris has the energy, the tenacity, and the courage to do just that," the Worcester County delegates said in a joint statement Monday.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark — the most powerful Democrat from Massachusetts in Congress who serves as the minority whip — has endorsed Harris, along with U.S. Reps. Jake Auchincloss, Ayanna Pressley, Seth Moulton, Lori Trahan, Richard Neal, Bill Keating and U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Gov. Maura Healey have also endorsed.

Biden's delegates are free to vote for whomever they choose. It's only the first item on a staggering political to-do list for her after Biden's decision to exit the race, which she learned about on a Sunday morning call with the president. If she's successful at locking up the nomination, she must also pick a running mate and pivot a massive political operation to boost her candidacy instead of Biden's with just over 100 days until Election Day.

On Sunday afternoon, Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation of more than 1,000 staffers and a war chest that stood at nearly $96 million at the end of June. It got bigger by Monday morning: Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said Harris had raised $49.6 million in donations in the first 15 hours after Biden’s endorsement.

Harris spent much of Sunday surrounded by family and staff, making more than 100 calls to Democratic officials to line up their support for her candidacy, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the effort. It comes as she tries to move her party past the painful, public wrangling that had defined the weeks since the Biden's disastrous June 27 debate with Donald Trump.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story