Sheryl Sandberg endorses Kamala Harris for president

Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg said she was "thrilled to support" Vice President Kamala Harris for president on Monday.

• Sheryl Sandberg endorsed Kamala Harris for president on social media on Monday.
• Sandberg's endorsement came a day after Joe Biden's withdrawal and his support for Harris.
• Harris's campaign raised $81 million in 24 hours, with strong party and donor support.

Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president in social media posts on Monday.

"Vice President @kamalaharris has already made history once — becoming the first Black and South Asian woman to hold her office, and she will do it again in November," Sandberg wrote alongside a photo of her and Harris. "She is an accomplished leader, a fierce advocate of abortion rights, and the strongest candidate to lead our country forward."

"I'm thrilled to support her," she added.

Sandberg, who founded Lean In, a nonprofit that works to support women in the workplace, made the announcement one day after Harris entered the race for president.

Sandberg also said Harris "will defend women's rights — and all Americans' rights — from the Oval Office with a determined, compassionate focus."

The Harris campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Sandberg's endorsement. Lean In did not provide further comment when reached by Business Insider.

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he was withdrawing from the race after weeks of speculation and pressure from Democrats following his poor debate performance in June. Biden quickly threw his support behind Harris to become the Democratic nominee in his place.

Harris's campaign has already been met with enthusiasm by the party and donors, drawing in a record $81 million in a single day.

Harris delivered her first campaign speech on Monday at her Delaware campaign headquarters. She touched on issues that included abortion rights and healthcare, and said she and Trump have "two different visions of the future of our country," adding he wants "to take our country backward to a time before many of our fellow Americans had full freedoms and rights."

Biden also spoke via zoom during the speech, telling Harris, "I'm watching you, kid. I love you."

Sandberg is among the tech and business leaders who have spoken out since Biden dropped out of the race and Harris entered it. Reid Hoffman, cofounder and executive chairman of LinkedIn, and Alex Soros, son of investor George Soros and head of the $25 billion Soros Fund Management, also endorsed Harris after Biden withdrew.