US Vice President Kamala Harris received the full support from leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee on Tuesday to enter the race for the White House.
US elections: Congressional Black Caucus endorses Kamala Harris
"The CBC PAC members of this great caucus. We now are on a mission, and the mission is to make sure that Kamala Harris is the next president of the United States," said Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks of New York.
Representative Steven Horsford of Nevada, who leads the CBC, also threw his support behind Harris, telling reporters "we have every ideological perspective. And today we are here unified behind one purpose, and that is to win for the American people."
The CBC is made up of African American members of the US Congress. Founded in 1971, it is officially non-partisan but, in practice, nearly all its members have historically been Democrats. Its current membership is made of up only Democrats and no Republicans.
It aims to increase the number of African Americans in Congress and support allies of the African American community.
Harris looks set to become the Democratic nominee, having secured the support of a majority of Democratic delegates by late Monday.
She would be the first woman to serve as president in the US if elected in November.