Kamala Harris promises to fight for ‘voiceless and vulnerable’

California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D) promised to fight for “the most voiceless and vulnerable” Tuesday night, outlining a campaign fighting for the downtrodden at the gala dinner for the pro-abortion-rights Democratic women’s group EMILY’s List.

{mosads}Harris, a rising Democratic star and Senate candidate, said her campaigns had always been fueled by “women who didn’t listen and who never gave in, even when they said we couldn’t and wouldn’t win,” before promising to fight for “immigrants, women, poor people, people who are the subject of hate crimes, who deserve to have a voice and to be treated as equals.”

“I believe that standing up for the people means working for an economy that works for all our people,” she said to cheers. “It means defending our environment … not because I have any particular desire to hug a tree, but I have a very strong desire to hug a healthy baby.”

Harris has managed to scare off her most serious potential opponents and appears to be the odds-on favorite to replace retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

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She thanked Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), “who stunned the nation” with their dual wins, before thanking EMILY’s List for coming to the defense of women who “have stepped up but were told ‘no,’ they were told ‘it can’t be done,’ they were told it’s too hard and it’s not your time.”

Harris wasn’t the only potential future senator onstage. The group has also long backed Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), whose speech kicked off the event and who is mulling a challenge to Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).

Duckworth hinted at a Senate run, saying she knows the organization “will stand with me in whatever future battles I may face.”