How old is Kamala Harris? Vice President's age amid her new presidential run.
The advanced ages of U.S. presidential candidates continue to be a major concern in the 2024 White House race. But after President Joe Biden's decision not to seek re-election, the 78-year-old Republican nominee Donald Trump, is now the oldest candidate still in the running.
The Trump campaign has repeatedly focused on the president's age, claiming that Biden, at 81 and only three years older than Trump, was not fit for the presidency. While the Democrats repeatedly defended the president’s mental fitness, the ongoing debate over age contributed to Biden's decision to drop his reelection campaign and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris instead.
So how do candidate ages stack up now?
How old is Kamala Harris?
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, marking her as one of the younger members of the baby boomer generation which lasted from 1946 to 1964.
When she was sworn in at age 56 in 2021, Harris became the first woman, the first Black American and the first South Asian American to hold the role of vice president.
As a presidential candidate, Harris' age puts her far closer to the median age for U.S. presidents at their first inauguration – 55. Most Americans agree the president should be in their 50s when taking office, a Pew Research Center survey found. If elected, Harris would be 60 years old on inauguration day, nearly two decades younger than her opponent, Trump.
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How long did Kamala Harris serve in the Senate?
Harris became a U.S. Senator from California in 2017 when she was 52 years old, beating her opponent Rep. Loretta Sanchez for the seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer.
But even before her time in national politics, Harris had a lengthy career serving in California District Attorney offices. In 1990, she worked in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office specializing in prosecuting child sexual assault cases. She became the District Attorney of San Francisco in 2004 and took on the role of Attorney General of California six years later.
How old is Tim Walz?
Harris' running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was also born in 1964. He is 60 years old.
After his time in the Army National Guard and as a public school teacher, Walz served six terms in the House as U.S. Representative for Minnesota's first district. He was elected Minnesota's 41st governor in 2018.
How old is Douglas Emhoff?
Harris’ husband, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, is also 59 years old. He was born just a week before Harris on October 13, 1964.
Harris and Emhoff met in 2013 and married in 2014. They were set up on a date through a mutual friend. Emhoff is a former entertainment lawyer at DLA Piper, one of the world’s largest law firms. He took a leave of absence in 2020 when Harris joined the presidential race alongside Biden. During his time as the nation’s first Second Gentleman, he has advocated for women’s rights, hosted an antisemitism roundtable with Jewish leaders and taught law classes at the Georgetown University Law Center.
How old is Donald Trump?
Born in 1946, Trump turned 78 on June 14, placing him toward the beginning of the baby boomer generation, in contrast to Harris.
Trump was 70 when he was inaugurated in 2017. At the time, he was the oldest president ever elected. Biden took that record from him upon his 2021 inauguration at age 78.
Trump’s running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, is 39 years old.
How old do you have to be to be president?
Natural-born U.S. citizens must be at least 35 years old to be eligible to hold office. Senators must be at least 30 years old and representatives must be 25 years old.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kamala Harris' age: Here's what generation the VP belongs to