With President Joe Biden exiting the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to become the Democratic Party’s new nominee. Biden has publicly endorsed Harris as his preferred successor, expressing full support for her candidacy.
In response, Harris has conveyed her determination to secure the nomination, but it remains uncertain whether other Democratic figures will challenge her in an open convention or through another selection process.
Should Harris be chosen as the Democratic nominee, her candidacy would bring significant ties to the Bay Area and the tech industry, given her origins in Oakland and her prior roles as San Francisco’s district attorney and California’s attorney general.
Her connections with influential venture capitalists and tech leaders, such as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, highlight her strong relationship with Silicon Valley, though some figures in the industry have called for an open convention instead of fully endorsing her.
Kamala Harris
Harris’s record on tech issues has been a mix of criticism and regulation. During her tenure as attorney general, some critics argue that she did not sufficiently address the growing power of tech giants.
However, as a senator and presidential candidate, she advocated for regulating major tech companies to protect consumer privacy rather than breaking them up, which differentiated her approach from rival Elizabeth Warren’s stance.
As vice president, Harris has supported regulations around artificial intelligence (AI), echoing President Biden’s executive order calling for new AI standards.
Harris has emphasized the need for regulatory frameworks to prevent tech companies from prioritizing profit over public safety and democratic stability. This position contrasts with concerns from some venture capitalists who worry about the potential overregulation of AI.
On other contentious topics, Harris has addressed national security concerns regarding TikTok but has opposed an outright ban, suggesting a focus on the ownership issue. While her stance on cryptocurrency has been less prominent, it is likely aligned with the Biden Administration’s regulatory approach. This nuanced position on tech issues reflects her broader commitment to balancing innovation with regulation.
