Feb 24: California Attorney General Indian American Kamala Harris is running for Senate, a seat she has been campaigning for more than a year.

“We got in early, we’ve been running hard, and this makes it official. So I’m very excited,” Harris said.

Wednesday, Feb 24, she formally and officially declared herself a candidate, filling out the official paperwork at the registrar’s office in Norwalk.

The Democratic attorney general is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Barbara Boxer, who retires from her post at the end of her term in 2017.

Harris says there are some key issues she’s focusing on, including education, the economy, the environment and equality.

“That’s everything from what we need to do around continuing to fight for the rights for our LGBT brothers and sisters, to what we need to do around immigration reform, to what we need to do around protecting a woman’s right to choose what to do with her own body,” Harris said.

Since announcing, Harris has been the frontrunner, leading in the polls.

If Harris wins the seat, she would be the first Indian American to ever serve in the Senate.

She says her strategy is to truly connect with voters.

“Sitting and talking with them and listening, most importantly, and then hopefully, this work will result in a successful bid for the United States Senate,” Harris said.

Harris said she’s heading to the Democratic convention in San Jose later this week and wanted to file her paperwork ahead of her trip.