Oakland native Kamala Harris' historic election as vice president is echoing across her home state of California.
People filled the streets of Oakland on Saturday morning in reaction to the election of Joe Biden and Harris after days of counting votes from Tuesday's election. The area outside the city's Grand Lake Theater was filled with supporters waving Biden/Harris signs as the theater's marquee read: "This is America we must count every vote."
The 56-year-old was born in Oakland and grew up in Berkeley, with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf calling Harris a "Daughter of Oakland" after her win.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed told KCBS Radio's Liz Saint John: "So many people can see themselves in Kamala Harris. Finally having this top leader be this kind of person that you can see yourself in. It's something that I am just, still, I'm a little bit in shock and excited and I think so many girls, so many women throughout this country, so many people, are very happy about this."
Gov. Gavin Newsom took to Instagram to celebrate the news. Harris served as California's Attorney General until her then-historic election to the U.S. Senate in 2016, only the second Black woman ever elected to that body.
The governor will now be tasked with appointing someone to Harris’ Senate seat.
"It's not only historic, it's healing right now," Former California Senator Barbara Boxer told KCBS Radio's Liz Saint John. "When you look at Joe and Kamala next to each other, the age difference (and) the difference in their backgrounds, it's such a message of unity. To me, it just swells my heart."
"I couldn’t be more proud of Kamala Harris, the first woman and second person of color on a winning presidential ticket," said California Senator and former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein. "Our country has come so far in the 28 years since I was elected to the Senate, and I’m glad we have women like Kamala around to break through those final glass ceilings."
Congresswoman Katie Porter weighed in on Twitter.
"PRESIDENT BIDEN! VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS! NOW LET’S TAKE THE SENATE! WE’RE GOING TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY!" State Senator Scott Wiener tweeted.
"It’s an exciting morning for so many of us," Congresswoman Jackie Speier told KCBS Radio’s Jennifer Hodges early Saturday. "It’s a long time coming, but I’m grateful for the results."
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