Ever since Kamala Harris left the vice-presidency in January, there’s been speculation about what’s next for her political future. Before the vice-presidency, Kamala was always pegged as one of the brightest stars of the Democratic Party, and someone who worked her way up rather than having everything handed to her on a silver platter. San Francisco District Attorney, Attorney General for the state of California, then senator. Then the vice-presidency and her 100-day presidential candidacy. I do not blame her at all for being quiet and taking six months to simply take stock. Well, for months, there’s been a conversation about whether she should throw her hat into the ring in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race. She’s already won state-wide elections, and now her profile and fundraising base is even bigger. But Kamala thought about it and decided… nope.
Kamala Harris, the former vice-president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, announced on Wednesday that she will not run for governor of California – a highly anticipated decision that leaves the contest to lead the country’s largest blue state wide open.
“For now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office,” Harris said in a statement, ending months of speculation about her political future after losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump.
“I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans,” she added.
Harris, 60, who previously served as California’s attorney general and US senator, had been exploring a run for the state’s top job since leaving the White House in January. But, she said in the statement, “after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for governor in this election”. The decision does not rule out a future run for public office, including a third bid for the White House, after unsuccessful campaigns in 2020 and 2024.
Her looming decision had in effect paralyzed the race to replace the term-limited Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, with early polling suggesting she was Californians’ top choice. The Harris-less race to lead California will now take place in a political landscape dramatically reshaped by her loss to Trump in November, which plunged the party into a period of paralysis and soul-searching. In the months since, the Democratic base has grown increasingly furious with its old guard, demanding fresh leadership and a more combative approach to what they view as Trump’s increasingly authoritarian agenda.
In a nod to the discontent roiling her party, and the country, Harris said: “We must recognize that our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis. As we look ahead, we must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking – committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.”
A few months ago, CB and I were talking about Kamala’s political future and I argued that it would be great for her to run for governor. I think she would enjoy being governor of California, and she would have a huge platform and a lot of power. But if her heart isn’t in it, so be it. Many believe this is the strongest sign yet that Kamala intends to run again in 2028, and yes, that was my immediate thought as well. But I tend to believe that she’s taking it one decision at a time, and while she’s leaving that path open, she hasn’t made a decision either way. Right now, she doesn’t want to be governor of California. Let’s see how she feels in December 2026. A lot can happen in a short time.
My statement on the California governor’s race and the fight ahead. pic.twitter.com/HYzK1BIlhD
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 30, 2025
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
