Harris has secured enough Democratic delegate votes to become their party's nominee, chair says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough votes from delegates to become her party’s nominee for president, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said Friday.

The announcement was made before the online voting process ends on Monday, reflecting the breakneck speed of a campaign that is eager to maintain momentum after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Harris as his successor less than two weeks ago.

Harris is poised to be the first woman of color at the top of a major party’s ticket, and she joined a call with supporters to say she is “honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee.”

“It’s not going to be easy. But we’re going to get this done," she added. "As your future president, I know we are up to this fight.”

Harrison pledged that Democrats “will rally around Vice President Kamala Harris and demonstrate the strength of our party” during their convention in Chicago later this month.

The Democratic National Committee did not provide details of the delegate vote count, including a number or state-by-state breakdowns, during a virtual event that had the flavor of a telethon, with campaign officials keeping tabs on a delegate-counting process whose result is a foregone conclusion.

No other candidate challenged Harris for the nomination, and she swiftly solidified Democratic support in the days after Biden endorsed her.

Democrats still plan a state-by-state roll call during the party’s convention, the traditional way that a nominee is chosen. However, that will be purely ceremonial because of the online voting.

As Harris prepares to face off with Republican nominee Donald Trump, her campaign is reorganizing its senior staff and bringing on a coterie of veterans of President Barack Obama's successful campaigns.

David Plouffe will serve as a senior adviser focused on Harris' pathway to the 270 Electoral College votes she needs to win the election. To take the role, he will stop consulting for TikTok, the social media app, as well as a podcast that he was hosting with Kellyanne Conway, the former Trump campaign manager, according to a person familiar with his plans.

In addition, Stephanie Cutter will advise on messaging and strategy, while Mitch Stewart will serve as senior adviser for battleground states. Brian Nelson, who until recently was an undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department, has shifted to the campaign to advise Harris on policy.

Despite the new additions, many aspects of the campaign remain the same from when Biden was the candidate. Jen O’Malley Dillon still serves as chairwoman and will oversee the entire staff structure.

Other unchanged senior roles include Julie Chavez Rodriguez as campaign manager, Quentin Fulks as principal deputy campaign manager and Michael Tyler as communications director.

Sheila Nix will continue as Harris' senior adviser and chief of staff on the campaign. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, who was recently brought on as a campaign co-chair, is expanding her portfolio to include outreach and strategy.

Brian Fallon, who had been Harris’ campaign communications director when Biden was still on the ticket, will now serve as senior adviser of communications.

Elizabeth Allen, most recently an undersecretary at the State Department, will be chief of staff for Harris’ running mate, who has not yet been chosen. Harris is expected to interview candidates over the weekend.

Democratic officials have said the accelerated roll call process was necessary because of an Aug. 7 deadline to ensure candidates appear on the Ohio ballot.

Ohio state lawmakers have since changed the deadline, but the modification doesn’t take effect until Sept. 1. Democratic attorneys said that waiting until after the initial deadline to determine a presidential nominee could prompt a legal challenge.

This story has been corrected to show the spelling of the chair’s name is Jaime, not Jamie.

Follow the AP's coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority gathering in Houston, July 31, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - Supports hold up signs in support of Vice President Kamala Harris at an event, July 23, 2024, in West Allis, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf, File)

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two as she departs Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield, Mass., July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool, File)

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the American Federation of Teachers' 88th national convention, July 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, file)

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris waves during a campaign rally, July 30, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

Harris campaign plans a call with supporters as Democratic delegates vote on nomination

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority gathering in Houston, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Harris campaign plans a call with supporters as Democratic delegates vote on nomination

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, dropping the Braves out of a playoff position.

Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of run-scoring grounders that increased his RBIs total to 108. He did not hit a home run or steal a base during the series, remaining at 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings, throwing 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury — up from 59 on Sept. 10.

“We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and built him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club. These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go.”

The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and pitched their 13th shutout.

NL West-leading Los Angeles (89-61) began the night 3 1/2 games behind second place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: The other was on June 4, 2021, also at Atlanta.

After losing the first two games of the series by a combined 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 over the last two.

“When you start off a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and drop the first two, to come back and respond, I thought that was big by the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve played a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve been a part of.”

Atlanta (81-69) dropped one game behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the NL's third wild card spot. The Braves were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 10 against Yamamoto.

Los Angeles took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.

“He really exemplifies what I expect in a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “Tonight, he won a ballgame for us.”

Max Fried (9-10) gave up three runs and two hits in six innings

Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first after Rojas walked, advanced on a grounder and stole third. Rojas' run-scoring single and Ohtani's RBI grounder boosted the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.

Freeman capped a six-run seventh with his 22nd homer after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández drove in runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL with a left big toe fracture. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.

Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second base for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If that goes well, he could rejoin the Braves in Miami on Friday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series in Miami on Tuesday night against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06), starting a stretch of six games against last-place teams.

Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) to start a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches a pitch go by called strike in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, tags second base before Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia, right, can get the ball in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani checks the scoreboard from the dugout in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the scoreboard before his turn at bat in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman swings in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)