Kerri Evelyn Harris | |
---|---|
Majority Whip of the Delaware House of Representatives | |
Assumed office July 7, 2023 | |
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives from the 32nd district | |
Assumed office November 9, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Andria Bennett |
Personal details | |
Born | December 24, 1979 |
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 2 |
Education |
Howard Community College (
AS) Wilmington University |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 2001–2008 |
Rank | Loadmaster |
Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Kerri Evelyn Harris (born December 24, 1979) [1] is an American activist and politician who is the Democratic state representative for Delaware's 32nd district. [2] [3] She was previously a Democratic candidate for United States Senate in 2018, mounting an unsuccessful primary challenge to incumbent US Senator Tom Carper.
In February 2018, Harris announced that she would be challenging three-term incumbent US Senator Tom Carper in the Democratic primary election. [4] She ran on a platform supporting Medicare for All, universal pre-K, a $15 an hour minimum wage, and criminal justice reform, among other progressive proposals. [5] [1] [6] Harris identifies as a progressive, but when asked if she was a democratic socialist, Harris said she "doesn’t necessarily consider herself one." [7] She received endorsements from progressive groups and individuals, including Justice Democrats, Our Revolution, state representative Sean Lynn, and future congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Ocasio-Cortez held multiple rallies with Harris in Delaware after Harris assisted her with her own successful primary campaign against incumbent congressman Joe Crowley. [14] [15] Harris lost to incumbent Senator Tom Carper in the September 2018 primary, receiving 35% of the vote. Despite her loss, Harris received the highest vote share of a Democratic primary candidate challenging a statewide incumbent in Delaware in 20 years. [16] [17] [18]
Harris announced in January 2022 that she would be launching a campaign for the Delaware House of Representatives in the 32nd district. Harris defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary, receiving 65% of the vote. [19] [3] She defeated Republican Cheryl Precourt in the general election on November 8, 2022, by a 16-point margin. [20] [21]
Following Carper's retirement announcement in 2023, it was reported that Harris was looking at a 2024 run for U.S. House, since the seat will be vacant due to incumbent Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester's campaign for Carper's U.S. Senate seat. [22] [23] Harris ultimately decided against running.
In July 2023, Harris was elected Majority Whip for the Democrats in the Delaware House of Representatives. [24]
Harris lives in Dover, Delaware. She joined the United States Air Force in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks and retired from active duty in 2008. [25] [1] Harris identifies as a lesbian and African American. [26] [27] [28] She has two children. [1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tom Carper (incumbent) | 53,633 | 64.59% | |
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 29,406 | 35.41% | |
Total votes | 83,039 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 725 | 64.56% | |
Democratic | Phil McGinnis | 270 | 24.04% | |
Democratic | Lamont C. Pierce | 76 | 6.77% | |
Democratic | Lavaughn McCutchen | 52 | 4.63% | |
Total votes | 1,123 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 2,691 | 57.97% | ||
Republican | Cheryl Precourt | 1,951 | 42.03% | ||
Total votes | 4,642 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold |
Kerri Evelyn Harris | |
---|---|
Majority Whip of the Delaware House of Representatives | |
Assumed office July 7, 2023 | |
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives from the 32nd district | |
Assumed office November 9, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Andria Bennett |
Personal details | |
Born | December 24, 1979 |
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 2 |
Education |
Howard Community College (
AS) Wilmington University |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 2001–2008 |
Rank | Loadmaster |
Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Kerri Evelyn Harris (born December 24, 1979) [1] is an American activist and politician who is the Democratic state representative for Delaware's 32nd district. [2] [3] She was previously a Democratic candidate for United States Senate in 2018, mounting an unsuccessful primary challenge to incumbent US Senator Tom Carper.
In February 2018, Harris announced that she would be challenging three-term incumbent US Senator Tom Carper in the Democratic primary election. [4] She ran on a platform supporting Medicare for All, universal pre-K, a $15 an hour minimum wage, and criminal justice reform, among other progressive proposals. [5] [1] [6] Harris identifies as a progressive, but when asked if she was a democratic socialist, Harris said she "doesn’t necessarily consider herself one." [7] She received endorsements from progressive groups and individuals, including Justice Democrats, Our Revolution, state representative Sean Lynn, and future congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Ocasio-Cortez held multiple rallies with Harris in Delaware after Harris assisted her with her own successful primary campaign against incumbent congressman Joe Crowley. [14] [15] Harris lost to incumbent Senator Tom Carper in the September 2018 primary, receiving 35% of the vote. Despite her loss, Harris received the highest vote share of a Democratic primary candidate challenging a statewide incumbent in Delaware in 20 years. [16] [17] [18]
Harris announced in January 2022 that she would be launching a campaign for the Delaware House of Representatives in the 32nd district. Harris defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary, receiving 65% of the vote. [19] [3] She defeated Republican Cheryl Precourt in the general election on November 8, 2022, by a 16-point margin. [20] [21]
Following Carper's retirement announcement in 2023, it was reported that Harris was looking at a 2024 run for U.S. House, since the seat will be vacant due to incumbent Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester's campaign for Carper's U.S. Senate seat. [22] [23] Harris ultimately decided against running.
In July 2023, Harris was elected Majority Whip for the Democrats in the Delaware House of Representatives. [24]
Harris lives in Dover, Delaware. She joined the United States Air Force in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks and retired from active duty in 2008. [25] [1] Harris identifies as a lesbian and African American. [26] [27] [28] She has two children. [1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tom Carper (incumbent) | 53,633 | 64.59% | |
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 29,406 | 35.41% | |
Total votes | 83,039 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 725 | 64.56% | |
Democratic | Phil McGinnis | 270 | 24.04% | |
Democratic | Lamont C. Pierce | 76 | 6.77% | |
Democratic | Lavaughn McCutchen | 52 | 4.63% | |
Total votes | 1,123 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Kerri Evelyn Harris | 2,691 | 57.97% | ||
Republican | Cheryl Precourt | 1,951 | 42.03% | ||
Total votes | 4,642 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold |