Kamala Harris rejects prospect of vying for California's gubernatorial position
Kamala Harris, the former U.S. Senator and California Attorney General, has announced that she will not run for governor of California in the upcoming election. Harris made her announcement on social media in a statement, citing a desire to focus on other opportunities and address concerns within her own party about its direction and future after the November election loss to President Donald Trump.
Harris's decision removes a potential frontrunner from the race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, who is understood to have his own presidential ambitions. The general election for California's next governor will take place in November 2026, with the new governor set to take office in 2027, marking the end of Governor Newsom's second and final term.
California, if considered a country, would rank as the world's 5th largest economy. The state is home to Silicon Valley, where companies like Apple and Meta are based, giving its governor and regulations influence at the national level. Harris's decision not to run for governor does not necessarily rule out a potential run for another political office in the future.
The primaries for California's next governor are scheduled for June 2026. In the Democratic camp, Katie Porter, former U.S. Representative and early frontrunner, is joined by Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor, Xavier Becerra, former California attorney general and former Biden administration health secretary, Tony Thurmond, California Secretary of Public Instruction, Toni Atkins, former California Senate president pro tempore and House speaker, and Betty Yee, former California State Comptroller.
On the Republican side, Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff, Steve Hilton, political commentator, Sharifah Hardie, Leo Zacky, Brandon Jones, and Jimmy Parker are among the potential candidates. Katie Porter currently leads in polling among Democrats at about 18%, with Steve Hilton leading Republicans at 12%, although 38% of voters remain undecided.
The race is considered wide open since Harris’s exit, with no dominant candidate so far. Democrats are favored to hold the seat, given California's strong Democratic registration advantage. The primary will be an all-party primary with the top two vote-getters advancing, regardless of party.
Harris has not revealed her plans for the future in detail, but has promised to share more in the coming months. She advocates for change through new methods and fresh thinking, while maintaining the same values and principles.
Note: Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis had been a potential candidate but dropped out to run for state treasurer instead.
[1] California Globe, "Kamala Harris Drops Out of California Governor Race," 22nd January 2023, https://californiaglobe.com/news/kamala-harris-drops-out-of-california-governor-race/
[2] Los Angeles Times, "Kamala Harris won't run for California governor in 2026, sources say," 22nd January 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-01-22/kamala-harris-wont-run-for-california-governor-in-2026
[3] Politico, "Kamala Harris won't run for California governor in 2026," 22nd January 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/22/kamala-harris-california-governor-00063787
[4] San Francisco Chronicle, "Kamala Harris won't run for California governor in 2026," 22nd January 2023, https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Kamala-Harris-wont-run-for-California-17700114.php
[5] The Hill, "Kamala Harris won't run for California governor in 2026," 22nd January 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3869833-kamala-harris-wont-run-for-california-governor-in-2026/
- The world will continue to observe the media's coverage of policy-and-legislation developments in California, as the race for its next governor progresses without the involvement of former Senator Kamala Harris.
- With various potential candidates already nominated on both the Democratic and Republican sides, it remains to be seen if politics will bring forth a new leader in the general-news sector that will replace Harris, whose departure has left the California gubernatorial race wide open for contenders posturing for the office.
