What happened
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesday she will not enter the 2026 race to become California's next governor. The announcement ended months of speculation about the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee's plans for the contest while reigniting questions about her political future. "I love this state, its people and its promise," Harris said in a statement, but "for now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office."
Who said what
Harris would have "begun the race" to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) as an "imposing frontrunner," Politico said, and her announcement "upends" what had been a "largely static" contest. This is the "clearest sign yet" that Harris may "still be considering a third run for president," said the Los Angeles Times.
Harris had been "exploring a run for the state's top office" since returning to Los Angeles in January but "had done little to express enthusiasm for the job," The New York Times said. And she only "weighed in selectively" as President Donald Trump's immigration raids and military deployments ushered in a "summer of political turmoil in California."
What next?
Harris is now "exploring the prospects of forming new groups" designed to "keep her involved in politics and positioned to advocate for the ideas she championed during her 2024 campaign," according to The Washington Post.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
A crowded field of Democrats is filling up the California governor’s raceIn the Spotlight Over a dozen Democrats have declared their candidacy
-
Judge halts Trump’s DC Guard deploymentSpeed Read The Trump administration has ‘infringed upon the District’s right to govern itself,’ the judge ruled
-
Trump accuses Democrats of sedition meriting ‘death’Speed Read The president called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested for urging the military to refuse illegal orders
-
Court strikes down Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read The Texas congressional map ordered by Trump is likely an illegal racial gerrymander, the court ruled
-
Trump defends Saudi prince, shrugs off Khashoggi murderSpeed Read The president rebuked an ABC News reporter for asking Mohammed bin Salman about the death of a Washington Post journalist at the Saudi Consulate in 2018
-
Congress passes bill to force release of Epstein filesSpeed Read The Justice Department will release all files from its Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation
-
Trump says he will sell F-35 jets to Saudi ArabiaSpeed Read The president plans to make several deals with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week
-
Judge blasts ‘profound’ errors in Comey caseSpeed Read ‘Government misconduct’ may necessitate dismissing the charges against the former FBI director altogether
