Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign raised an impressive $81 million within the first 24 hours after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed her as the Democratic Party’s new nominee.

President Biden’s decision to step aside came after facing considerable pressure from fellow Democrats following a challenging debate performance against Republican contender and former President Donald Trump.

Kevin Munoz, Harris' campaign spokesperson, remarked on the surge of support, stating, "There is a groundswell behind Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump is terrified because he knows his divisive and unpopular agenda can't stand up to the vice president's record and vision for the American people."

The $81 million raised by Harris' campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees, brings their total funds to nearly a quarter of a billion dollars for this election cycle. According to a media release, this amount represents the highest 24-hour fundraising total in history, with contributions from over 888,000 grassroots donors, 60 percent of whom made their first donation of the 2024 cycle.

Additionally, the campaign added 43,000 new recurring donors within the 24-hour period, with over half committing to weekly donations. A call hosted by Win with Black Women alone raised approximately $1.6 million in grassroots contributions, and Harris’ official campaign social media account, @KamalaHQ, saw its following double overnight.

Munoz highlighted the significance of this support, saying, "The historic outpour of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections."

Despite Biden's endorsement, which strongly positions Harris as the likely Democratic nominee, she must still be formally elected by the party’s delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19-22. Biden currently holds 3,896 delegates, surpassing the 1,976 needed for the party's nomination.

Following Biden's decision, the Biden-Harris campaign updated its Federal Election Commission filings to rename its principal committee and officially declare Harris as a presidential candidate. Harris, the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president of the United States, also secured an endorsement from former President Bill Clinton, easing her path to securing delegate support at the convention.

The Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) announced that an "overwhelming majority" of state Democratic Party chairs are backing Harris as the nominee for president.