Democrat Kamala Harris has declared victory in the race for California Attorney General. The contest was too close to call for weeks, and Harris beat her Republican opponent, Steve Cooley, by less than one percentage point. Cooley conceded last week.
Harris is the San Francisco District Attorney. As an African-American and an Indian-American, she’s the first person of color and the first woman to hold the position. She told a roomful of supporters Tuesday that she would represent the entire state.
“It means people from Los Angeles to San Francisco," she said. "It means all of the folks who live in urban, suburban and rural communities of this state who deserve to be seen, to have their voices heard and to have power for their voice in terms of this importance office.”
Harris said she plans to work to reduce the state’s recidivism rate. She says she’ll also help struggling homeowners who’ve been taken advantage of by lenders and scammers.
