California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced today that she is running for U.S. Senate. Her bid comes less than a week after Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) announced her retirement, reports The New York Times.
If Harris were elected to the Senate, she’d be the first Black female senator in more than 15 years. “I will be a fighter for middle class families who are feeling the pinch of stagnant wages and diminishing opportunity,” she said in her announcement video. “I will fight relentlessly to protect our coast, our immigrant communities and our seniors.”
As of today, her Democratic opposition lies in hedge fund manager Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. However, the support that Harris has attracted from her constituents puts her at an advantage, as well as the fact that Boxer has expressed interest in seeking a female replacement.