It seems that not many Californians are enthusiastic about the prospect of former Vice President Kamala Harris running for governor. A recent survey conducted by Politico and UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center revealed that a significant number of Golden State “policy influencers” are skeptical about her chances in the 2026 race, when incumbent Democrat Gavin Newsom will be unable to run due to term limits.
The survey found that 36% of respondents felt “indifferent” about Harris’s potential candidacy, while 22% were “mostly excited,” 20% were “irritated,” and 4% were “outraged.” The respondents included state and federal lawmakers, staffers, and subscribers to Politico’s California-focused news products, such as California Playbook and POLITICO Pro.
Interestingly, registered voters showed more enthusiasm for the idea of Harris, who has served as a San Francisco district attorney, senator, and vice president, seeking office in Sacramento. Among Democrats, 41% expressed that they would be “most excited” if Harris, 60, decided to run, while 33% said they would be “joyful,” and nearly a quarter remained indifferent.
Reactions among minority voters were mixed: 35% indicated they would be “joyful” about Harris’s candidacy, and 38% said they would be “mostly excited.” However, 19% of Latino voters reported feeling “hopeless” about her running, and 19% of Asian voters expressed irritation at the idea.
Harris has kept her ambitions under wraps and maintained a low public profile since President Donald Trump announced her electoral victory last November. Nevertheless, she is widely believed to be contemplating a run for governor in 2026 or possibly for president in 2028.
Political science professor Jack Citrin from UC Berkeley noted that the lukewarm response is not surprising, as Harris is still working to move past her “heartbreaking” loss in the 2024 presidential election while considering her next steps. “These people are not given to euphoria,” Citrin remarked when discussing the lack of excitement among voters regarding Harris.
After her defeat to Trump, 78, Harris publicly stated that she intends to “stay in the fight” and will not “go quietly into the night.”
Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at a leadership summit for Black women in California on Thursday, providing insight into her political future following her defeat to President Trump in the 2024 election.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Harris declared during her nearly eight-minute speech at the Leading Women Defined gathering, as reported by The Hill.
Having served as California’s U.S. Senator from 2017 until she became vice president under former President Biden in 2021, Harris is widely believed to be contemplating a run for governor in 2026, with a formal decision anticipated by the end of the summer.
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, another ex-Biden administration official, officially launched his campaign for the governorship on Wednesday.
Early polling indicates that if Harris decides to enter the race, she would emerge as the clear Democratic frontrunner. A February survey conducted by Emerson College Polling, Inside California Politics, and The Hill found her leading the field with nearly 60 percent support from likely primary voters.
So far, Harris has refrained from directly addressing whether she intends to run for the position currently held by Governor Gavin Newsom (D), who is unable to seek another term due to term limits.
While she did not mention the president by name during her rare public address, Harris spoke about the “fear” that has permeated the country in recent months.
“There were many things that we knew would happen, many things,” she remarked, alluding to her presidential campaign.
“I’m not here to say, ‘I told you so,’” she added with a smile, prompting cheers from the crowd. “I swore I wasn’t going to say that.”
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