Kerri Evelyn Harris | |
Office1: | Majority Whip of the Delaware House of Representatives |
Term Start1: | July 7, 2023 |
Office2: | Member of the Delaware House of Representatives from the 32nd district |
Term Start2: | November 9, 2022 |
Predecessor2: | Andria Bennett |
Party: | Democratic |
Children: | 2 |
Education: | Howard Community College (AS) Wilmington University |
Allegiance: | United States |
Branch: | United States Air Force |
Serviceyears: | 2001–2008 |
Rank: | Loadmaster |
Battles: | Iraq War |
Kerri Evelyn Harris (born December 24, 1979)[1] is an American activist and politician who is the Democratic state representative for Delaware's 32nd district.[2] [3] She was previously a Democratic candidate for United States Senate in 2018, mounting an unsuccessful primary challenge to incumbent US Senator Tom Carper.
In February 2018, Harris announced that she would be challenging three-term incumbent US Senator Tom Carper in the Democratic primary election.[4] She ran on a platform supporting Medicare for All, universal pre-K, a $15 an hour minimum wage, and criminal justice reform, among other progressive proposals.[5] [1] [6] Harris identifies as a progressive, but when asked if she was a democratic socialist, Harris said she "doesn’t necessarily consider herself one."[7] She received endorsements from progressive groups and individuals, including Justice Democrats, Our Revolution, state representative Sean Lynn, and future congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Ocasio-Cortez held multiple rallies with Harris in Delaware after Harris assisted her with her own successful primary campaign against incumbent congressman Joe Crowley.[14] [15] Harris lost to incumbent Senator Tom Carper in the September 2018 primary, receiving 35% of the vote. Despite her loss, Harris received the highest vote share of a Democratic primary candidate challenging a statewide incumbent in Delaware in 20 years.[16] [17] [18]
Harris announced in January 2022 that she would be launching a campaign for the Delaware House of Representatives in the 32nd district. Harris defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary, receiving 65% of the vote.[19] She defeated Republican Cheryl Precourt in the general election on November 8, 2022, by a 16-point margin.[20] [21]
Following Carper's retirement announcement in 2023, it was reported that Harris was looking at a 2024 run for U.S. House, since the seat will be vacant due to incumbent Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester's campaign for Carper's U.S. Senate seat.[22] [23] Harris ultimately decided against running.
In July 2023, Harris was elected Majority Whip for the Democrats in the Delaware House of Representatives.[24]
Harris lives in Dover, Delaware. She joined the United States Air Force in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks and retired from active duty in 2008.[25] Harris identifies as a lesbian and African American.[26] [27] [28] She has two children.