Prospective Vice President Harris Set To Break Multiple Barriers
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- Depending on the final outcome of this rollercoaster election, Kamala Harris is poised to become the first woman to reach the office of Vice President when all the votes are counted.
Her ties to the Bay Area abound. While many in the Bay Area are celebrating her rise and possible historic achievement, she also has her share of critics.
"To have someone like her of her intelligence step in, with her background possibly going in the White House, it's a good day for America," said District Attorney for Santa Clara County Jeff Rosen.
Harris spent part of her childhood in the Berkeley flats. She became the first woman, first Black and first South Asian when elected as San Francisco's District Attorney in 2003.
"To see people like Kamala Harris and people who are not just in office that can actually claim that trajectory she did play a huge role in regards to my confidence to run for office," said Oakland City Councilmember Sheng Thao.
Bruce Cain has followed Harris' career for decades and is a distinguished professor of political science at Stanford University.
"On the San Francisco spectrum, she's more to the right. But San Francisco politics is the politics of left and the 'lefter.' She's not 'lefter,' but definitely left, and left of Biden. No question about that," said Cain.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen began working closely with Harris when she became California Attorney General in 2011.
"She had said to me one of the things that's important as AG or DA is to figure out top three or four priorities and focus on that," said Rosen.
Harmeet Dhillon, who serves as California's RNC commiteewoman, says she supported Harris when she first became DA in San Francisco.
"She has zero accomplishments in her career on behalf of people of color. I can tell you as an Indian American who's very active in the community she has never been active in the community other than asking for money," said Dhillon.
