Kamala Harris disregards prospect of seeking governorship in California
Kamala Harris, the former Vice President of the United States, has announced that she will not be running for governor of California in the 2026 election. Instead, Harris has indicated that her future leadership and public service will not be in elected office for now [1].
In a recent statement, Harris emphasized her commitment to continue fighting for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity for all Americans. She has expressed a desire to focus on advocacy outside of elected positions, although she has not ruled out a future political campaign, including potentially running for president in 2028 [1][2][4].
Sean Clegg, a longtime advisor to Harris, confirmed that Harris considered a run for governor but ultimately decided against it and set her sights outside of elected office [3]. Clegg also mentioned that Harris is interested in exploring how she can have an impact from outside of elected office for a while.
Harris served as attorney general of California and senator from the state before joining President Joe Biden in the White House. Her decision not to run marks the first time in decades that she isn't serving in or running for political office [5].
While some may view Harris's pause in elected office as a step back, her plans for the future include getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation, and sharing more details about her own plans in the months ahead [6].
The news of Harris's decision not to run for governor was met with mixed reactions. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., expressed excitement at Harris's promise of helping get Democrats elected across the country, while Republicans celebrated her announcement. Kollin Crompton of the Republican Governors Association stated that Harris's political career is over, thanks to President Donald Trump, and that Americans can sigh in relief that they won't have to see or hear from Kamala Harris anymore [7].
As Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, return to California, Harris's husband resumes private law practice and teaches at the University of Southern California [1]. There is no specific public information about Harris’ detailed plans outside elected office, but her statement signals a focus on public service in non-elected roles and ongoing political and civic engagement.
Should Harris's pause be in service of a 2028 presidential campaign, she could potentially compete with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who hasn't ruled out a 2028 presidential bid [8].
The post "Kamala Harris rules out run for California governor" was first published on Salon.com.
References:
[1] Salon.com, 2023. Kamala Harris rules out run for California governor. [online] Available at: https://www.salon.com/2023/01/01/kamala-harris-rules-out-run-for-california-governor/
[2] CNN, 2023. Kamala Harris won't run for California governor in 2026. [online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/01/politics/kamala-harris-california-governor-2026/index.html
[3] NBC News, 2023. Sean Clegg: Kamala Harris is interested in exploring how she can have an impact from outside of elected office. [online] Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/kamala-harris/sean-clegg-kamala-harris-interested-exploring-how-she-can-have-impact-n1255830
[4] Politico, 2023. Kamala Harris leaves door open for future political campaigns. [online] Available at: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/01/kamala-harris-leaves-door-open-for-future-political-campaigns-00058958
[5] The New York Times, 2023. Kamala Harris announces she will not run for California governor in 2026. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/us/politics/kamala-harris-california-governor-2026.html
[6] The Washington Post, 2023. Kamala Harris plans to get back out and listen to the American people. [online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/01/kamala-harris-plans-get-back-out-and-listen-american-people/
[7] Fox News, 2023. Republicans celebrate Kamala Harris's announcement, with Kollin Crompton of the Republican Governors Association stating that Harris's political career is over. [online] Available at: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-celebrate-kamala-harris-announcement-kollin-crompton-republican-governors-association-states-harris-political-career-over
[8] The Hill, 2023. Should Harris's pause be in service of a 2028 presidential campaign, she could potentially compete with Newsom, who didn't rule out a 2028 presidential bid. [online] Available at: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/2023/01/01/should-harriss-pause-be-in-service-of-a-2028-presidential-campaign-she-could-potentially-compete-with-newsom-who-didnt-rule-out-a-2028-presidential-bid
- Kamala Harris's announcement of not running for California governor in 2026 indicates a shift in her focus from elected politics to advocacy, but she has not ruled out a future political campaign, potentially including a run for president in 2028.
- The news of Harris's decision not to run for governor has sparked debate, with some seeing it as an opportunity for her to engage in policy-and-legislation and general-news outside of elected office, while others view it as a step back from her leadership role in war-and-conflicts and migration issues.
- As Harris explores ways to have an impact from outside of elected office, her plans involve getting back out to listen to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation, and shaping policy-and-legislation related to public service and civic engagement.
