Woman who could beat Donald Trump

She’s being touted as the Democrats’ best chance for taking down Donald Trump in the US election after a stellar performance at the first debates for 2020 presidential hopefuls.

So who is Kamala Harris?

WHO IS KAMALA HARRIS?

Kamala Harris is an American lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the junior US Senator for California since 2017.

The 54-year-old was born in Oakland, California and is a member of the Democratic Party.

She is married to Douglas Emhoff who is also a lawyer.

The couple reportedly met on a blind date after a set up by a close friend of Harris.

Emhoff is currently a California lawyer at Venable LLp.

Ms Harris previously served as the 32nd Attorney-General of California from 2011 to 2017, and as District Attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010.

Ms Harris graduated from Howard University in Washington, DC and got her law degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

After graduating, she worked in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney of San Francisco’s office.

In 2004, she was elected District Attorney of San Francisco.

WHAT HAS SHE SAID ABOUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENCY IN 2020?

On January 21, Ms Harris declared she will run against Mr Trump in the 2020 elections.

Vowing to “bring our voices together,” she will be the first woman to hold the presidency and the second African-American if she succeeds.

Previously, she said the US is “absolutely” ready for a woman of colour to be president.

She made her long anticipated announcement on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” saying: “I am running for president of the United States,” she said. “And I’m very excited about it.”

Ms Harris portrayed herself as a fighter for justice, decency and equality in a video distributed by her campaign as she announced her bid.

“They’re the values we as Americans cherish, and they’re all on the line now. The future of our country depends on you and millions of others lifting our voices to fight for our American values.”

Ms Harris launched her presidential campaign as the nation observes what would have been the 90th birthday of the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

She abandoned the formality of launching an exploratory committee, instead going all in on a presidential bid.

She plans a formal campaign launch in Oakland on January 27. The campaign will be based in Baltimore, with a second office in Oakland.

Political commentators expect Ms Harris to portray herself as a fact-based no-nonsense challenger to Mr Trump’s flamboyant persona.

Ms Harris has acted as a senator since 2017, and said Americans were ready for a black woman to lead during an appearance on ABC’s The View.

She said: “I’m not saying that about myself, but I am saying that about the capacity of the American public.

“We need to give the American public more credit.”

Ms Harris told The View that when it came down to what people really cared about, the race and gender of the leader didn’t matter so much.

She said when voters woke up in the middle of the night with concerns, “they aren’t waking up thinking that thought through the lens of the party with which they’re registered to vote.”

She continued: “When they wake up thinking that thought, it usually has to do with one of very few things.

“It usually has to do with their personal health, about their children or their parents.”

She continued: “Can I get a job? Keep a job? Pay the bills by the end of the month? Retire with dignity?

“The vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us.”