Washington, Jul. 26, (dpa/GNA) – Former US president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, offered their endorsement on Friday of Vice President Kamala Harris as the top Democratic candidate in November’s presidential election.

Obama wrote in a post on X that he and his wife offered Harris their “full support” earlier this week. The post included a video of the phone call.

“We called to say that Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” the former president said in the call.

The support of the Obamas is a further indication that Harris has consolidated support among top Democrats to replace President Joe Biden as the party’s candidate to run against Republican former president Donald Trump.

Biden, 81, previously endorsed Harris after announcing on the weekend that he would step down from the race following weeks of harsh coverage over his age and questions about his ability to continue to do the job. A number of senior Democratic politicians had called on Biden to end his re-election campaign.

Although Obama is retired from politics, he remains a major figure in the party due to his popularity and fundraising abilities.

Harris, 59, stated earlier this week that she had secured support of enough party delegates to win the nomination ahead of the party’s national convention in Chicago in August.

She has also secured the support of other big names in the Democratic Party, including Democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who herself ran unsuccessfully as a presidential candidate against Trump in 2016.

GNA