Kamala Harris is now Democratic presidential nominee, will face off against Donald Trump this fall

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday — becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket.

More than four years after her first attempt at the presidency collapsed, Harris’ coronation as her party’s standard-bearer caps a tumultuous and frenetic period for Democrats prompted by President Joe Biden’s disastrous June debate performance that shattered his own supporters’ confidence in his reelection prospects and spurred extraordinary intraparty warfare about whether he should stay in the race.

Harris’ nomination became official after a five-day round of online balloting by Democratic National Convention delegates ended Monday night, with the party saying in a statement released just before midnight that 99% of delegates casting ballots had done so for Harris. The party said it would next formally certify the vote before holding a celebratory roll call at the party’s convention later this month in Chicago.

Already Harris has telegraphed that she doesn’t plan to veer much from the themes and policies that framed Biden’s candidacy, such as democracy, gun violence prevention and abortion rights. But her delivery can be far fierier, particularly when she invokes her prosecutorial background to lambast Trump and his 34 felony convictions for falsifying business records in connection with a hush money scheme.

“Given that unique voice of a new generation, of a prosecutor and a woman when fundamental rights, especially reproductive rights, are on the line, it’s almost as if the stars have aligned for her at this moment in history,” said Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California, who was tapped to succeed Harris in the Senate when she became vice president.

Kamala Devi Harris was born Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer scientist who emigrated to the United States from India when she was 19 years old, and Stanford University emeritus professor Donald Harris, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Jamaica.

She spent years as a prosecutor in the Bay Area before her elevation as the state’s attorney general in 2010 and then election as U.S. senator in 2016.

Harris arrived in Washington as a senator at the dawn of the volatile Trump era, quickly establishing herself as a reliable liberal opponent of the new president’s personnel and policies and fanning speculation about a presidential bid of her own. Securing a spot on the coveted Judiciary Committee gave her a national spotlight to interrogate prominent Trump nominees, such as now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Harris launched her 2020 presidential campaign with much promise, drawing parallels to former President Barack Obama and attracting more than 20,000 people to a kickoff rally in her hometown. But Harris withdrew from the primary race before the first nominating contest in Iowa, plagued by staff dissent that spilled out into the open and an inability to attract enough campaign cash.

She also struggled to deliver a consistent pitch to Democratic voters and wobbled on key issues such as health care.

Still, Harris was at the top of the vice presidential shortlist when Biden was pondering his running mate, after his pledge in early 2020 that he would choose a Black woman as his No. 2. He was fond of Harris, who had forged a close friendship with his now-deceased son Beau, who had been Delaware's attorney general when she was in that job for California.

Her first months as vice president were far from smooth. Biden asked her to lead the administration’s diplomatic efforts with Central America on the root causes of migration to the United States, which triggered attacks from Republicans on border security and remains a political vulnerability.

For her first two years, Harris also was often tethered to Washington so she could break tie votes in the evenly divided Senate, which gave Democrats landmark wins on the climate and health care but also constrained opportunities for her to travel around the country and meet voters.

Her visibility became far more prominent after the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that dismantled Roe v. Wade, as she became the chief spokesperson for the administration on abortion rights and was a more natural messenger than Biden, a lifelong Catholic who had in the past favored restrictions on the procedure.

After Biden ended his candidacy July 21, he quickly endorsed Harris. And during the first two weeks of her 2024 presidential bid, enthusiasm among the Democratic base surged, with donations pouring in, scores of volunteers showing up at field offices and supporters swelling so much in numbers that event organizers have had to swap venues.

“The country is able to see the Kamala Harris that we all know," said Bakari Sellers, who was a national co-chair of her 2020 campaign.

Yet Democrats are anticipating that Harris' political honeymoon will wear off, and she is inevitably going to come under tougher scrutiny for Biden administration positions, the state of the economy and volatile situations abroad, particularly in the Middle East. Harris has also yet to answer extended questions from journalists or sit down for a formal interview since she began her run.

The Trump campaign has been eager to define Harris as she continues to introduce herself to voters nationwide, releasing an ad blaming her for the high number of illegal crossings at the southern border during the Biden administration.

The Republican nominee's supporters have also derisively branded Harris as a diversity hire, while Trump himself has engaged in ugly racial attacks of his own, wrongly asserting that Harris had in the past only promoted her Indian heritage and only recently played up her Black identity.

“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black," Trump said while addressing the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. "So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

In her response, Harris called it “the same old show — the divisiveness and the disrespect” and said voters "deserve better.”

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at an event in Manassas, Va., Jan. 23, 2024, to campaign for abortion rights. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

FILE - President Joe Biden, right, walks with Vice President Kamala Harris in the Rose Garden of the White House, May 13, 2021, in Washington. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally, July 30, 2024, in Atlanta. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

FILE - San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris arrives at the City Hall election office, Nov. 12, 2008, in San Francisco. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - San Francisco's new district attorney, Kamala Harris, right, with her mother Dr. Shyamala Gopalan holding a copy of The Bill of Rights, receives the oath of office from California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George, left, during inauguration ceremonies, Jan. 8, 2004, in San Francisco. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/George Nikitin, File)

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks during the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill, March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R- La., listen. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - California State Attorney General Kamala Harris speaks to California Democrats, May 16, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

FILE - Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., questions Attorney General Jeff Sessions as he testifies before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about his role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey and the investigation into contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russia, on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 13, 2017. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., appears for a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Nov. 5, 2019. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - Attorney Douglas Emhoff, left, and California Attorney General Kamala Harris arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Feb. 22, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

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)

Kamala Harris is now Democratic presidential nominee, will face off against Donald Trump this fall

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak during a campaign rally, July 30, 2024, in Atlanta. Harris, the daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Kamala Harris is now Democratic presidential nominee, will face off against Donald Trump this fall

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans threw baseballs in the direction of San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar and then tossed trash that caused a lengthy delay before the Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 on Sunday night to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece.

Yu Darvish limited the Dodgers’ powerful offense to one run and three hits over seven innings and Fernando Tatis Jr. went deep twice as the Padres tied the postseason record of six homers.

David Peralta and Jackson Merrill each hit two-run homers, and a hobbled Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka had solo shots. At 21, Merrill became the youngest Padres player with a postseason homer.

“Six of them is a special treat for us,” Merrill said.

The delay in the middle of the seventh inning led to a 12-minute gap between pitches and occurred as two balls were thrown from the stands in the direction of Profar. He chased after one of them but a security officer got to it first. Trash was strewn on the warning track in right near the Padres bullpen.

“I feel like when it went over the line, when they started throwing stuff onto the field," Tatis said. “I felt like that should not be happening in a big league game.”

There was continuous booing by the sellout crowd of 54,119 — the largest at Dodger Stadium this season.

“The bear's been poked for a while. It's been poked previous years, decades,” Merrill said. “We just finally got the firepower, we finally got the team to take it to them. They're a good team. I love the way they play. They give us a battle every time. They don't stop.”

Security rushed onto the field as Padres manager Mike Shildt and his team huddled in shallow left. They were joined by the umpiring crew. Security appeared to be trying to identify potential perpetrators in the crowd.

“We were looking for a higher security presence out in the left-field corner to ensure that that behavior didn’t continue,” crew chief Dan Bellino told a pool reporter, “and to make sure that if anybody did throw anything out on the field they would be identified immediately and removed from the stadium.”

The Dodgers did not immediately respond when asked whether there had been any arrests.

Manny Machado gathered his teammates in the dugout to boost them before the game resumed.

The Dodgers have lost four straight Game 2s and seven of their last eight playoff games.

The best-of-five series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday.

Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty hit Tatis with a pitch in the sixth inning, and Profar exchanged words with Dodgers catcher Will Smith.

“There’s too much of an important series just to be throwing at guys,” Tatis said. “When he hit me, he just gave me more energy. My boys gave me more energy.”

The Dodgers thought they’d tied it in the bottom of the first. Mookie Betts hit a deep fly to the corner and left field umpire Adrian Johnson circled his arm signaling a home run.

But Profar battled the outstretched arms of fans, reeling in the ball on the webbing of his glove. He barely reacted to his spectacular grab, hopping away backward as he stared at the astonished fans.

“That was hilarious,” Merrill said of Profar trolling the fans. “He’s having fun. He was playing like a little kid and I love that.”

Later, there were verbal exchanges between fans and Profar.

The Dodgers lost first baseman Freddie Freeman, who left after five innings with discomfort in his sprained right ankle. He struck out and flied out in two at-bats. Freeman got hurt on Sept. 26 and has fought to be healthy enough to make the playoffs.

Just like in Game 1, the Padres took a quick 3-0 lead. Tatis went deep in the first off Flaherty and former Dodger Peralta added a two-out, two-run shot in the second.

Darvish struck out three and walked two against his former team. He shut down fellow Japanese Shohei Ohtani, who struck out and grounded out twice against his friend.

“I was trying to see how he reacted to some of the pitches that I was throwing,” Darvish said through an interpreter. “On top of that, I was trying to keep him off-balance by holding a little bit longer. I think it worked pretty well.”

Ohtani finished 0 for 4 with another strikeout. Mookie Betts was hitless for a sixth consecutive playoff game.

Pitching not far from where he grew up in Burbank, Flaherty gave up four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, becoming the first Dodgers starter to reach the sixth inning of a postseason game since Max Scherzer in 2021.

Max Muncy homered for the Dodgers in the ninth.

UP NEXT

RHP Walker Buehler will start for Dodgers in Game 3 and RHP Michael King will go for the Padres. King was dominant against Atlanta in the NL Wild Card Series, striking out 12 in seven scoreless innings. King faced the Dodgers four times this season, tossing 12 innings of shutout ball in two of the outings while getting hit hard in the other two.

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

San Diego Padres' Kyle Higashioka connects for a solo home run during the ninth inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres outfielders Brandon Lockridge, left, Jackson Merrill, center, and Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrate after a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani grounds out during the third inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. watches his double in front of Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, bottom, during the third inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., left, celebrates his solo home run with Jurickson Profar during the first inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles.

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates as he rounds first base after a solo home run during the first inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres' David Peralta celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish pauses on the mound during the seventh inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani walks back to replace his bat after breaking it on a foul ball during the third inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres' David Peralta, left, celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run that also scored Jackson Merrill, middle, during the second inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, right, talks to umpire Adrian Johnson after items were thrown at Profar in the outfield during the seventh inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Fans react toward San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, foreground, after items were thrown at him in the outfield during the seventh inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Padres, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) and players talk to umpires after items were thrown on the field by fans during the seventh inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)