Kamala Harris opens presidential bid

Kamala Harris, a first-term senator and former California attorney general known for her rigorous questioning of President Trump's nominees, entered the Democratic presidential race yesterday. Harris would be the first woman to hold the presidency and the second African-American.

The 54-year-old who grew up in Oakland, California, is one of the earliest high-profile Democrats to join what is expected to be a crowded field.  She made her long anticipated announcement on ABC's "Good Morning America."

She said "I am running for president of the United States. And very excited about it."

She portrayed herself as a fighter for justice, decency and equality in a video distributed by her campaign as she announced her bid. "They're the values we as Americans cherish, and they're all on the line now.  The future of our country depends on you and millions of others lifting our voices to fight for our American values."

On ABC, she cited her years as a prosecutor in asserting: "My entire career has been focused on keeping people safe. It is probably one of the things that motivates me more than anything else."