Former VP Kamala Harris to Decide On 2026 Gubernatorial Run By The End Of Summer

According to several Democratic donors and aides, former Vice President Kamala Harris has said that she is currently interested in running for Governor in 2026, and will make her decision by the end of the summer.

Harris’ confirmation dates back to Sunday, where Harris was repeatedly questioned by many Democratic donors at an Oscars pre-watch party in Los Angeles. While it has been known for several months that Harris has looked into a possible run, it has not been confirmed just how close she is to doing so. According to Politico, she told everyone who asked that she will be making her decision by the end of the summer.

Before Friday, Harris proved to be evasive when asked about running in 2026. Aides told the media regularly that she was split on whether or not she should run for Governor in 2026 or run for President in 2028. Since leaving the Vice Presidency Harris has remained in the public eye, seen visiting with wildfire victims in Los Angeles. At the same time, she has been ignored by the public in multiple occasions, like at a February Los Angeles Lakers game where she received a chilly reception amongst fans. Nonetheless, she has remained the top speculative candidate for the past several months.

“I have been home for two weeks and three days,” said Harris when asked about a run for Governor during a visit to the Palisades wildfire area last month. “My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them. I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground.”

Polls have shown that Harris is the strong favorite among potential and declared candidates. A November IGS poll, which was the first to include Harris, found that she was at the top of the poll by a huge margin. According to the poll, 46% of all voters in California said they would support her gubernatorial bid on some level, with 72% of Democrats saying that they would be very likely or somewhat likely to consider Harris for governor. An Emerson College poll last month confirmed that she was still out ahead s the favorite candidate amongst registered Democratic voters, beating out all other candidates with 57% of the vote. In both polls, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, who has also yet to officially declare a gubernatorial run, was a distant second.

Should Harris run, her presence would all but certainly shake up the race. Currently, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Former State Controller Betty Yee, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have all declared runs on the Democrat side, with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco the only major Republican in the race. However, in addition to Harris and Porter, developer and 2022 Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, State Senator and 2022 Gubernatorial candidate Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), former Olympian and 2021 Gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner, Fox New Host and former advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron Steve Hilton, actor Mel Gibson, and Special Presidential Envoy and former Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell have all either announced possible runs or have been seen as potential candidates.

A possible Harris run

Some of the potential candidates, chief among them Grenell, have further stated that they would only run if Harris herself entered the race, adding in more potential variables. Grenell running would particularly be a blow to a potential Harris campaign because of his popularity among right and center voters.

“That is a hot topic. I’ll make a little news, depends on if Kamala Harris runs,” said Grenell last month. “If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage and hundreds of millions of dollars in educating the voters of how terrible she is, that it’s a new day in California, and that the Republican actually has a shot. And I wouldn’t say no.”

However, if she should run, Harris would enter with advantages other candidates could only dream of. Fundraising would be easier for Harris, as would building a team, as she is still close to members of her 2020 and 2024 campaign teams. Her poll popularity essentially shows her in the primary. And she already has dozens of endorsements, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, without even announcing a run yet.

“We would go crazy if she announced. In a good way,” explained election volunteer Kathy Angelo, who assisted on Harris’ 2010 and 2014 Attorney General campaigns, her 2016 Senate campaign, and the 2020 and 2024 Democratic Presidential campaigns, to the Globe on Friday. “There’s been a lot of talk among all of her supporters and volunteers here ever since she got out, and today, wow, we are excited.

“I don’t know if anyone can beat her. On the Democratic side, you know, she is friends with many of the current people there, so they would likely drop out. Porter would be the biggest challenge if she ran, but beyond her, we’ve heard both Kounalakis and Villaraigosa.

“Republicans? Bianco is too far to the right, but as for everyone else, Grenell has been the name that has come up most as the biggest potential challenge. Gibson hasn’t been discussed because he hasn’t said anything about it. I think his name has been pushed by some Republican voters and that’s it so far. But if he ran, that would make this race into a circus, just like 2003. Any of those three would also have Trump’s direct support, and Harris really wants to beat Trump at some level again. Beating one of his people in the race would bring back that confidence and help her for a 2028 run or a 2032 run, if Newsom isn’t there already.

“But right now among Harris supporters, the atmosphere is excited. We wanted her to run again, for Governor or President, and it looks like we are going to see it!”