Sen. Kamala Harris announced Monday morning that she's launching a Democratic bid for president.

“I am running for president of the United States,” Harris announced on ABC, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “I am very excited about it.”



BREAKING: @KamalaHarris announces this morning on @GMA that she will officially be running for president in 2020. "I'm very excited about it." https://t.co/W1vUNMab63 pic.twitter.com/Jhklmo3Oa9 — Good Morning America (@GMA) January 21, 2019



"I feel a responsibility to stand up and fight for the best of who we are, and that fight will always include — as one of the highest priorities — our national security,” the Democrat from California said when asked what qualifies her to be president, referencing the government shutdown over clashes of how to handle border security.

Harris used her announcement to talk about her career as a prosecutor and her dedication to keeping people safe. She also discussed several ways she will increase national security, but made no mention of President Trump's proposed border wall.

“I am a career prosecutor,” Harris said. “My entire career has been focused on keeping people safe. It is probably one of the things that motivates me more than anything else. When I look at this moment in time, I know that the American people deserve someone that’s going to fight for them … and put them in front of self interest.”



JUST IN: @KamalaHarris on announcing she will be running for president in 2020: "I feel a responsibility to stand up and fight for who we are." https://t.co/qUX1sERxxZ pic.twitter.com/NcSHFTRIny — Good Morning America (@GMA) January 21, 2019



Parts of the federal government have been shut down for more than four weeks, after Trump and congressional Democrats have failed to reach an agreement to fund all federal agencies and spend money on a border wall.

Harris is one of several high-profile Democrats who are thought to be preparing White House runs in 2020.

Sources indicated less than two weeks ago that Harris was planning on announcing her bid on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

She told ABC that she decided to announce on MLK Day because he inspired her to fights for ideals that have not yet been reached.

“[W]e know that we've not yet reached those ideals but our strength is that we fight to reach those ideals, and that inspires me,” Harris said. “So today, the day we celebrate Dr. King, is a very special day for all of us as Americans, and I’m honored to be able to make my announcement on the day that we commemorate him.”

Harris posted her first campaign video on her Twitter Monday morning, following her announcement, in which she revealed that her campaign: “For the People.”





[Read more: 45 Democrats jostling to challenge Trump in 2020]