Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants who advanced through California’s political and law enforcement spheres, officially earned the Democratic presidential nomination. This milestone makes her the first woman of color to head a major party’s ticket in U.S. history.

More than four years after her initial presidential bid failed, Harris’ ascension as her party’s leading candidate concludes a chaotic and intense period for Democrats. This upheaval was triggered by President Joe Biden’s poor performance in a June debate, which undermined his supporters’ faith in his chances for re-election and ignited intense internal conflict over whether he should continue his campaign.

Immediately following Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race, Harris and her team swiftly mobilized to gain support from the 1,976 delegates required to secure the nomination through a formal roll call vote. They achieved this goal remarkably quickly, with an Associated Press survey indicating that she secured the necessary commitments just 32 hours after Biden’s announcement.

Harris’s nomination was officially confirmed after five days of online voting by Democratic National Convention delegates concluded on Monday night. The party had previously considered this early virtual roll call to guarantee that Biden would be listed on the ballot in every state.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted after Biden’s withdrawal revealed that 46% of Americans view Harris favorably, with a similar percentage holding an unfavorable opinion. However, a larger proportion of Democrats express satisfaction with Harris’s candidacy compared to Biden’s, which has revitalized a party that had been resigned to the 81-year-old Biden running against former President Donald Trump—a Republican seen by many as a significant threat.

Harris has signaled that she intends to maintain the core themes and policies of Biden’s campaign, including democracy, gun violence prevention, and abortion rights.