What's Kamala Harris' California future?

Kamala Harris came close to being elected president in 2024, and she could make another try in 2028 or instead run for governor of California. Democrats are still not sure what her next move is or should be.

Observers across the political spectrum believe Harris would "have better odds running for California governor" than making another presidential run, said The Associated Press. No potential competitor for the governor's office "could match her resume" of having served as San Francisco district attorney, state attorney general, U.S. senator and vice president. But it is not a certainty she would win. Harris is a "highly polarizing figure," said San Francisco-based Democratic consultant Eric Jaye to the outlet.

Harris has "kept a low profile" while considering a gubernatorial bid, said The Washington Post. Golden State Democrats have "reverence and appreciation" for the former vice president, but they also have "ambivalence about whether she should run for governor." Her relative silence in public since losing the presidential race to Donald Trump is a factor in that ambivalence. "We don't hear from her," said a Pasadena Democrat who attended a recent party convention. "We don't see her."

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What did the commentators say?

Kamala Harris is "not right for the job" of California governor, Tad Weber said at The Fresno Bee. The right candidate "must prioritize pocketbook issues central to the lives of the middle class," but it will be difficult for Harris to make that case. She did, after all, serve in a Biden administration that "brought high inflation back to America" despite economists' warnings. The next governor must focus on "making California affordable again."

"Of course Kamala Harris should run for governor," Stephanie Finucane said at The Sacramento Bee. She is not a perfect candidate, but her resume is "unmatched by any of the dozen or so serious candidates" who have already thrown their hats in the ring for the 2026 election. The next governor will "face enormous challenges" in the face of the climate crisis, homelessness and natural disasters. The gubernatorial field "will be stronger if her name is on the primary ballot."

What next?

While Harris is "still on the fence," other candidates are already working for support, said Politico. The potential field includes former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter and Stephen J. Cloobeck, a big-spending entrepreneur. Some of those candidates are "sure to clear the way for Harris" if she does run, and she would "instantly hold front-runner status if she does."

Though the front-runner, there are signs that Harris' electoral support is tepid. A recent Emerson College survey found "half of those polled would prefer she not run," said The San Francisco Standard. That makes it clear that "Harris has some vulnerabilities," said Jason McDaniel, a professor of political science at San Francisco State University, to the outlet. Even if she gets into the race, it is "not going to be a cakewalk."