Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Monday, during an event with NCAA college athletes. This is her first public appearance since President Biden endorsed her to be the next presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The Maine delegation to the Democratic National Convention unanimously put its support behind Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race in the wake of President Biden’s decision to drop out and endorse her.

Maine’s Democratic delegates and some superdelegates who were present at a virtual meeting Monday night voted unanimously to endorse Harris as the nominee, the Maine Democratic Party said in statement following the meeting.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree greets the crowd before speaking during the Maine Democratic convention at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor in June. Carl D. Walsh

“Kamala Harris is a proven leader who has faithfully served alongside President Biden in one of the most successful terms our nation has ever seen,” Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, said in a statement earlier in the day.

Pingree, one of Maine’s most prominent Democrats, is among eight superdelegates expected to attend the convention in Chicago starting Aug. 19.

“She is the most qualified person to continue work protecting our freedoms, preserving our democracy, and growing our economy,” Pingree said of Harris. “I pledge my full support to ensure Vice President Harris’ victory in November and am eager to work with her to keep Donald Trump and JD Vance out of the White House.”

Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, who also is a superdelegate, would not say if he is supporting Harris. Golden did not attend the meeting Monday night and therefore did not vote to endorse Harris with other superdelegates, the party and a spokesperson confirmed.

A WAVE OF SUPPORT

Harris has been enjoying a wave of support from Democrats across the country as she seeks to secure the Democratic nomination for president. Numerous high-profile Democrats have backed Harris’ candidacy publicly, though some noticeably refrained from making an endorsement Sunday when first weighing in on Biden’s exit from the race.

Gov. Janet Mills speaks at a rally in Brunswick where she and Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross launch Women for Biden-Harris in Maine. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

Gov. Janet Mills said Sunday that she would do “everything (she) can to elect Vice President Kamala Harris, a friend and former colleague as attorney general and a fighter for the people, as our next president.”

On Monday, Harris’ campaign put out a statement including endorsements from Mills and Pingree; Maine State Treasurer Henry Beck; Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland; Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic; Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick; House Majority Leader Mo Terry, D-Gorham; and Assistant Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston.

Mills and Talbot Ross, like Pingree and Golden, are among Maine’s eight superdelegates, whose votes only come in to play if there isn’t consensus in the first round of voting for a nominee.

Another superdelegate, Bev Uhlenhake, said in a post on X that she would “proudly cast my vote” for Harris. Uhlenhake serves as chair of the state Democratic party, though a spokesperson noted that the statement was not on behalf of the party as a whole.

When asked if Golden will endorse Harris, a spokesperson said the congressman had “nothing new to share” beyond a statement released Sunday.

That statement said only that Biden made the right decision “for the good of the country.”

Before Biden dropped out, Golden said he believed Trump would win, and that while he didn’t plan to vote for Trump, “I’m OK with that.” He is locked in a competitive reelection bid in Maine’s 2nd District, which backed Trump in 2016 and again in 2020, meaning Golden will likely need the support of some Trump voters to retain his seat.

‘SHE’S A VERY STRONG PERSON’

Meanwhile, several other Maine Democrats who have been selected as Biden delegates to the Democratic National Convention said Monday that they are putting their support behind Harris.

“I think that if we’re going to continue the good work that’s been done by President Biden and Vice President Harris and their administration, then it just makes sense for us to rally behind Vice President Harris,” said Marpheen Chann, a delegate from Portland.

Ellie Sato, a first-time delegate from Gorham, threw her support behind Harris given that Biden and many prominent Democrats, including governors and members of Congress, have endorsed her. “I’m definitely excited to vote for her as a delegate and as a voter,” Sato said.

Ellie Sato, a Maine delegate to the national convention. Contributed photo

Elaine Makas, a delegate from Lewiston who has attended a handful of national conventions, said she trusted Biden to make the right decision about his reelection – one that would best serve the country and not his own personal interests.

“I was very proud of the president,” Makas said. “I have been saying all along the most important thing to me above all else is that President Biden is a patriot. … I trusted Biden, and he did the right thing.”

Makas agrees “very strongly” with Biden’s decision to endorse Harris. “She’s a very strong person,” she said. “She has the experience. She has proven herself. She’s been a really good vice president.”

State Rep. Laurie Osher, D-Orono, another delegate, said she was even hearing from voters before Biden’s announcement that he should step aside and let Harris take over the ticket.

“Now that he has stepped down, I’m all in for Harris,” Osher said.

HARRIS MUST CONSIDER VP PICK

One of the first major decisions facing Harris in her run for the presidency will be her decision on a running mate. Potential contenders include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Several Maine delegates said Monday that they were thinking about the options but would likely be happy with whoever Harris picks, if she is the presidential nominee.

Maine Sen. Jill Duson. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

State Sen. Jill Duson, D-Portland, said she would like to see the pick for vice president bring some geographic balance to the ticket. Being from Pennsylvania originally, Duson said Shapiro could be a good choice.

“It would mean both coasts are represented,” she said, referring to the fact Harris is from California.

Duson doesn’t have any concerns about voter disenfranchisement or an unfair process when it comes to delegates shifting their support from Biden to Harris because she said that voters have already shown support for Harris when they voted for the Biden-Harris ticket in the primary. But if any fellow Democrats do have concerns, Duson is confident they will have a chance to air them in the coming weeks leading up to and including the convention.

“As Democrats, we always have different opinions, so I would expect there are folks who feel differently on foreign policy, economic policy and other issues and who will be at the convention trying to influence delegates in those subject areas,” Duson said. “But I would be surprised and disappointed if there’s any dissension about us moving forward with our strongest candidate, and I think that person is Kamala Harris.”

QUESTIONS ABOUT PROCESS PERSIST

John Hennessey, a delegate from Portland, is worried that the party could see a repeat of previous contentious conventions: in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson decided not to run for reelection amid anti-Vietnam War protests; in 1972 Sen. George McGovern’s vice presidential nominee withdrew, leading to a protected convention battle; and in 1980 Sen. Ted Kennedy tried to gain the support of delegates pledged to Jimmy Carter.

“I remember 1968. I remember ‘72. I remember ‘80. That makes me uncomfortable,” he said. “I’m hoping there’s a better plan for this one.”

Ryan Fecteau, a Maine delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Ryan Fecteau, a former Democratic speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and a delegate from Biddeford, said it’s unclear to him what exactly the convention rules are around “pledged” delegates. Most of Maine’s delegates, with the exception of the eight superdelegates who can vote for whomever they like, are pledged to Biden because he won the state’s primary election.

“I think over the next few days as we get on calls with the state and national party we will get some clarity on that,” Fecteau said.

Staff Writer Katie Langley contributed to this report.