CLEARWATER, Fla. — As Vice President Kamala Harris officially kicks off her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, she’s already garnering large swaths of support among Sunshine State Democrats, who say she represents a turning to the future of the party.
“I have full confidence in Vice President Harris but it'll be interesting to see if other candidates step forward,” said Tampa Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D) who is “strongly endorsing” Harris ahead of the DNC next month.
“The stakes are high and I think Vice President Harris is the right person at the right time to prosecute the case against Donald Trump, a convicted felon, a very, very poor role model for our kids,” Castor added at a press conference Monday morning.
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From Castor on down, Florida’s Congressional Democrats and 236 of the 254 DNC delegates are backing Harris’ candidacy, one they believe brings renewed energy to the race.
“I’m extremely proud to enthusiastically put my support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, easily the most accomplished and qualified candidate in either party,” Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Broward County) said.
“Florida Democrats are fired up and ready to elect Kamala Harris this November,” Florida Dems Chairwoman Nikki Fried said. “As Vice President, she’s been on the frontlines of the fight for the soul of our nation, and I know that she’s ready to continue the work she started with President Biden four years ago.”
Democratic voters like Patricia McDaniel are feeling the energy shift in groups like the Democratic Women’s Club of Upper Pinellas, who held a regular meeting Monday in Clearwater.
“I supported Biden in 2020, but I felt like we need a younger candidate this time,” McDaniel said. “I think [Harris] is eminently qualified,’ adding she’s excited for a new leader and potentially, America’s first woman president.
Jeanette Chavez who voted for Biden in 2020, says she was “disillusioned” after President Biden’s poor debate performance, but his decision to bow out of the race inspired her to get more involved with Harris at the top of the ticket. She thinks Harris can rally a larger demographic of voters, including younger ones.
“With her [VP] and prosecutor background, she’s not new to the whole system so she’s ready to take over right now if she needed to,” Chavez said.
Florida House Democrats also pledged their support behind Harris during a hearing, where voters got the chance to share their thoughts on legislative issues.
Among those throwing support behind Harris was Rep. Dianne Heart (D-Tampa), who also serves as chair of the Florida Black Legislative Caucus. Hart said Black voters are energized by the thought of making history again.
Harris became the first woman, Black and Asian vice president in American history.
“It’s critically important that we get democracy over craziness because that’s what the other side has to offer us is a whole lot of nothing," Hart said.
Meantime Republican campaigns are shifting their offense to Harris and criticizing Democratic party leaders for circumventing the primaries by backing her ahead of the DNC.
“For all the talk about “saving democracy,” the Democrat Party is choosing their candidate in a backroom deal, completely shutting out their primary voters,” a statement from the Florida GOP reads.
"Democrats across the country should be fuming. Their party failed them. Rather than allowing Americans to have their voices heard, they will be forced to carry whatever puppet they elect behind closed doors," Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power said.
"Meanwhile, Republicans are united behind President Trump. It doesn't matter which empty suit they put forward—we will win," Power added.
Tom Gaitens, the state committeeman for Hillsborough County Republican Party, believes Trump's chances of being re-elected are only growing.
Gaitens said surviving the assassination attempt only heightened his popularity. He added it's late in the game for Democrats to gain enough support from voters.
"Their biggest problem is unity right now," Gaitens said. "The key to success in electoral politics is unity. "
Dems like Castor are dismissing the characterization of Harris being undemocratically appointed.
"It's the Biden-Harris ticket that's been endorsed throughout the primary process, you can't stop the hands of time," Castor said.
10 Tampa Bay's Miguel Octavio contributed to this report.