Kamala Harris, the current Vice President of the United States, has been laying low since her defeat in the presidential race. However, behind the scenes, she has been strategizing and keeping her options open for the future. Sources close to Harris have revealed that she is considering a possible 2028 presidential run or even running for governor in her home state of California in two years. Harris has been telling her advisers and allies to keep her options open, as she is determined to stay in the political arena.
After an intense four months that saw Harris go from being Joe Biden’s running mate to the top of the ticket, only to ultimately lose the election, she is now taking time to unwind with her family and closest aides in Hawaii. However, discussions about her political future are already underway. Harris is expected to have conversations with her family over the winter holiday season to explore her next steps.
While Harris does not have to make any immediate decisions about her political future, there is a sense of urgency to define how and when she will speak out against Donald Trump and assert her role in the Democratic Party. As she prepares to leave her role as Vice President, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are also faced with decisions about where they will live and how they will navigate their post-political life.
For Harris, who has had a rapid rise in Washington and California, the transition out of public office will require careful planning. There are discussions about setting up a federal committee to raise money and maintain her political relationships. Despite her defeat in the presidential race, Harris has gained significant political capital, and her allies believe that she has a promising future in the Democratic Party.
While some Democrats may be skeptical of Harris’s potential 2028 presidential run, a recent poll showed her leading the field by a significant margin. Harris’s ability to appeal to a wide range of voters and run a successful campaign as a moderate candidate has positioned her well for the future. As she navigates her next steps, Harris will continue to be a key figure in the Democratic Party, with a strong base of support and a promising political future ahead. After the 2016 campaign, surveys indicated that Hillary Clinton had a substantial lead for the 2020 election, with many Democrats expressing a desire for her to run again. However, there is now a sense among some Democratic strategists that the party may not be inclined to turn to her for a second time.
Speculation has been circulating about Clinton’s potential political future, including the possibility of her running to succeed Gavin Newsom as governor of California. While her office initially pushed back against these rumors, the idea of her entering the race has caused hesitation among other potential candidates and fundraisers.
There is a debate among those close to Kamala Harris about what office she should pursue next. While some believe she should run for governor of California, others feel that it would be difficult for her to then launch a presidential campaign shortly thereafter. The demanding nature of the governorship, coupled with the immediate start of the 2028 primary season, could pose challenges for Harris if she were to take on both roles.
If Harris decides not to run for governor, she will need to consider her options carefully, as there are few high-profile offices available in California. With both Senate seats filled by relatively young incumbents, Harris may need to weigh the costs of sitting out of a potentially open race.
Several candidates have acknowledged that a gubernatorial run by Harris would likely discourage serious challengers, leaving lesser-known candidates to compete against her. Given California’s Democratic-leaning political landscape, Harris could view the governorship as a fulfilling culmination of her career, or she could opt to forego the 2028 election and consider a presidential run in 2032.
Brian Brokaw, a former Harris aide, emphasized that Harris is deliberate in her decision-making process and may take time to determine her next move. While she has the potential to run for governor or president again, Brokaw noted that there may be skepticism surrounding her candidacy due to her previous experiences in the 2019 Democratic primary.
Ultimately, Harris’s future political endeavors remain uncertain, but her resilience and ability to learn from past challenges could shape her decision-making process moving forward.
