Harris fundraises off O’Rourke’s 2020 announcement

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is fundraising for her presidential campaign off former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-Texas) announcement that he is also entering the 2020 race.

In a Thursday campaign email with the subject line “Beto O’Rourke,” the California senator noted the “record number of Democrats” in the race and said she looks forward to debating her opponents, including O’Rourke.

{mosads}“We are facing something unprecedented: a record number of Democrats — including a record number of women and people of color — are running for President. This is greatly encouraging for the future of our country, but there is still a long path ahead of us,” she said in the email.

“I look forward to engaging in substantive debates with each of these candidates, including the newest to join the race today, Beto O’Rourke — and ultimately selecting a Democratic nominee who will take on and beat Donald Trump in November of 2020,” Harris added.

Harris said to run a winning campaign her team will “have to cut through the noise of this crowded primary and share our message with as many voters as possible.”

“That’s why I am planning to spend as much time as possible out on the campaign trail, meeting with communities across the country, listening to the issues affecting them,” she said.

Earlier Thursday, O’Rourke officially entered the 2020 Democratic primary race, saying in a video announcing his candidacy that “this is a defining moment of truth for this country and every single one of us.”

He is entering a crowded field that, in addition to Harris, includes Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Former Vice President Joe Biden is also expected to jump into the race.