Kamala Harris:
Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County, CA (1990–1998): Began her legal career prosecuting child sexual assault cases, earning praise as an “able prosecutor.” Later managed the Career Criminal Unit at the San Francisco DA’s Office and led the Family and Children’s Services Division at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, laying the groundwork for her focus on victim advocacy.
District Attorney, San Francisco, CA (2004–2011): Elected as the first woman, African American, and South Asian American DA in San Francisco. Launched the Back on Track program, a Democrat-inspired initiative reducing recidivism by offering nonviolent offenders job training and education, clearing 27 of 74 inherited homicide cases in six months. Established a Hate Crimes Unit to protect LGBTQ+ youth and officiated early same-sex marriages in 2004, advancing marriage equality. Achieved high conviction rates for serious crimes, though her truancy policy (prosecuting parents of chronically truant students) drew criticism, which she later expressed regret for due to unintended consequences (including folks that went to jail that she lied about and said that nobody ever had).
Attorney General of California (2011–2017): Became the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold this office. Secured a $25 billion settlement for California homeowners in the 2012 mortgage crisis and won a $15 billion settlement from Volkswagen for emissions fraud. Refused to defend Proposition 8 (same-sex marriage ban) in court, contributing to its repeal, and advocated for transgender rights by supporting amicus briefs. Launched programs to reduce recidivism through education and job training, coordinated with Mexican authorities to combat cross-border crime, and pushed for anti-truancy measures, though some policies (e.g., fighting prison overcrowding reductions) faced criticism from progressives.
U.S. Senator, California (2017–2021): Elected as the second African American woman and first South Asian American Senator. Served on Judiciary, Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Budget Committees, gaining recognition for sharp prosecutorial questioning of Trump officials like Jeff Sessions and Brett Kavanaugh. Co-sponsored Democrat-backed bills, including the Justice in Policing Act (post-George Floyd), Medicare for All, and the Climate Equity Act with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Introduced the Maternal CARE Act to address Black maternal health disparities and co-sponsored the First Step Act for criminal justice reform. Advocated for voting rights via the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Vice President of the United States (2021–2025): Became the first woman, African American, and South Asian American Vice President under President Joe Biden. Set a record for casting the most tie-breaking Senate votes (32), enabling passage of the American Rescue Plan ($1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief), the Inflation Reduction Act (largest climate investment in U.S. history), and judicial nominations like Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Led the Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour, becoming the first VP to visit a Planned Parenthood clinic in 2024, and championed abortion rights post-Roe v. Wade. Oversaw the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to curb gun violence. Spearheaded the Central America Forward initiative, securing $5 billion for job creation to reduce migration, and chaired the National Space Council (lol, and did that horrible video with those kids), advancing climate-focused space policies. Represented the U.S. in over 20 international trips, meeting 150+ world leaders.
Democratic Presidential Candidate (2019–2020, 2024): Ran in the 2020 Democratic primaries, emphasizing criminal justice and healthcare reform, though she withdrew before primaries began. Became the Democratic nominee in 2024 after Biden’s withdrawal, selecting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Lost to Donald Trump (Electoral College: 312–226, popular vote: 49.8%–48.3%), delivering a concession speech at Howard University. Raised a record $671 million, re-energizing Democrat voters, but losses in swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were key to her defeat.
And there you have it... Not much commentary of my own in there, just the facts jack.