Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for president

The former House speaker played a major behind-the-scenes role in the effort to oust Biden from the top of the ticket.

• Nancy Pelosi has endorsed VP Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
• The former House speaker played a major role in the effort to push Biden aside.
• Pelosi had previously expressed support for an open nomination process.

Vice President Kamala Harris just landed another major endorsement as she barrels toward the Democratic nomination: former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a statement, Pelosi noted that she'd known Harris "for decades" — Harris began her political career in San Francisco, which Pelosi has represented in Congress since the 1980s.

"Kamala Harris as a woman in politics is brilliantly astute — and I have full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November," Pelosi said.

The former House speaker played a major behind-the-scenes role in the intra-Democratic push to get President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race.

But that role was, at times, public, too. After Biden appeared to tamp down calls for his withdrawal two weeks ago, Pelosi went on Morning Joe and seemingly reopened the issue once more.

When Biden withdrew on Sunday, Pelosi did not immediately endorse Harris — she had reportedly expressed support for a more wide-open nomination process in private.

Yet that appears unlikely to happen, with Harris locking down the support of most Democratic senators and House members over the last 24 hours.