INDIANAPOLIS — Many Hoosiers are stepping up and pledging their support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president.
President Joe Biden picked Harris to replace him after his decision Sunday not to seek re-election.
Biden's endorsement of Harris doesn't mean she will automatically get the approval of delegates to be the nominee.
Biden was unopposed in the May Democratic primary, where he received 100% of the delegates.
"Those folks were previously pledged to Joe Biden, so really they were backing him pretty much fully. Now, that is not the case," said Mike Schmuhl, chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.
Indiana is sending 88 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August.
"I think that the weight of that (Biden's) endorsement is very very strong and I think will weigh heavily on what delegates want to do moving forward," Schmuhl said. "There's a pretty strong majority, if not unanimous support, for Vice President Harris to be the Democratic nominee, and the reason for that is there is no time to waste. She has high name ID, almost every American would know who she is. She inherits now the Biden campaign."
Monday night, the delegation voted unanimously to endorse Harris.
Democratic delegates are free to choose the person they want at the convention — meaning they don't have to vote for Harris just because Biden endorsed her.
Other Democratic candidates could emerge in these early days since Biden's withdrawal.
"There may be people who vote differently. I expect that might happen," said Joe Donnelly, former U.S. Senator and ambassador to the Vatican who will lead the delegation at the DNC in Chicago.
Donnelly, who also worked with Biden on issues including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, doesn't anticipate political division during the convention.
"Every delegate who goes has the right to vote the way that they think makes the most sense, and that's the American way, and those delegates represent our state. They've been chosen by folks in Indiana to represent Hoosiers and so we trust in their judgment, we trust in their wisdom," Donnelly said.
Donnelly also pledged his support for Harris.
"I support her because she's been a teammate for President Biden and standing up to Vladimir Putin and helping to grow our economy in moving our nation forward so she has a proven record," Donnelly said.
Donnelly emphasized Hoosier voices will be heard.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.