Elections

Hillary Clinton makes history as first woman presidential pick for major party

Bernie Sanders nominates Hillary Clinton by acclamation
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Bernie Sanders nominates Hillary Clinton by acclamation

PHILADELPHIA — The Democratic Party formally nominated Hillary Clinton for president Tuesday, making her the first woman chosen by a major American party.

The former secretary of state and first lady secured the 2,383 delegates needed to win with South Dakota's vote.

Clinton became the party's standard bearer following days of tension between pro-Clinton forces and delegates who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders, the party's runner-up. Clinton is expected to accept the nomination in a speech Thursday night.

After the Vermont delegation voted, Sanders moved to name Clinton the nominee. The voice vote passed, but not without some 'nays' from delegates. Some 100 delegates walked off the floor in protest after the nomination, NBC News reported.

Sanders endorsed Clinton in an address Monday night, urging his energetic supporters to get behind Clinton to defeat Republican nominee Donald Trump. Sanders led a staunch Democratic primary challenge to Clinton, and some of his supporters still refuse to line up behind her amid concerns about her policies and the party's neutrality.

Earlier, Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, the longest serving woman in Congress, put Clinton's name in for the nomination. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a civil rights icon, seconded it. Na'ilah Amaru, an Iraq war veteran and contest winner from New York, gave the third nominating speech.

Lewis said the Democrats broke barriers by selecting the first black man, President Barack Obama, to be commander-in-chief in 2008. The party moves forward again with Clinton's nomination, he said.

"Tonight, tonight, on this night, we will shatter that glass ceiling again. We're the party of tomorrow, and we will build a true democracy in America," Lewis said.

Some delegates reading state vote tallies peppered them with messages of support for Sanders and what he calls the "political revolution" he started. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, while casting the convention host state's votes, said Sanders' "fight for inclusion, justice and fairness has invigorated our party."