Harris, the first woman of color ever to lead a major party’s presidential ticket, stepped into the spotlight not as someone’s running mate or second-in-command, but as the face of the Democratic Party heading into the November election.

The announcement closed the door on months of speculation and internal maneuvering that followed President Joe Biden’s sudden decision to step aside. Biden’s endorsement of Harris had cleared the field in theory, but the party still needed the formal vote — and it delivered. Fast. Decisive. Unanimous enough to show unity, even if not everyone in the room had been thrilled with the process leading up to it.

Harris now carries the full weight of a party that’s been pulled in different directions for years. Her campaign is expected to hammer three themes relentlessly: reproductive rights, economic fairness, and climate policy. These aren’t new