JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Who is Kamala Harris? She’s been known as the vice president of the United States since 2021, but her public and political career spans 34 years.
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Before Harris was vice president of the United States she was known as a U.S. Senator for California serving on various committees including intelligence, homeland security and governmental affairs.
Now, she could become the president of the U.S. News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney talked about what local voters know about her.
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“Two words for most of the people in this country: not much,” Mullaney said. “I think she’s a blank slate for most people. And for that reason, there’s going to be a raise to define her.”
Before Harris was a U.S. Senator, she was known as:
- An attorney general of California from 2011 to 2016
- A district attorney for San Francisco from 2004 to 2011
- A deputy district attorney from 1990 to 1998
News4JAX asked Jacksonville voters what they know about Harris.
“I know that she has had a long career in politics,” Lakeera Clinkscale said. “I know that she was a prosecutor at some point as well. I think she wasn’t just some random pick, she had the qualifications to go along with being trusted with the office of vice presidency.”
Mhardy Moralita said he didn’t know anything about her.
Dave Berry is from California so he was more familiar with her background.
“She’s capable of being president, whether she can win the presidency is a whole other story,” Berry said.
Berry said that Harris’ capability shouldn’t be underestimated.
“I just think she has a lot of talent and she might surprise people,” Berry said.
In her first full day of the campaign, the Republican Party called her ‘the border czar’.
“Two of her most high profile assignments during her tenure as vice president is the border and abortion,” Mullaney said.
Harris has been a leading advocate for abortion rights for women. Mullaney said there will also be a focus on what she’s doing at the border.
“Republicans are going to portray her as the ‘border czar’ that she was in charge of it because during the Biden presidency, you had this explosion at the border of 8 to 10 million illegal immigrants entering the country during that time,” Mullaney said.
Voters may not know this isn’t her first run for president. She ran in 2019 before suspending her campaign and became Biden’s running mate.
Harris is known as an attorney, politician and the vice president of the U.S. but voters will determine if it will be enough to win the presidency.