Harris not to run for California governor; leaves door open for possible third presidential run in 2028
. . . yet to confirm if or when she will launch a third campaign for the White House
Former US presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, following her unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid, says she will contest next year’s election to lead her home state of California, where she had served as a US senator and worked as a prosecutor.
“After deep reflection,” the former vice-president, a Democrat, said in a statement on social media, “I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”
In a statement released by her office on Wednesday, Harris said, “Over the past six months, I have reflected on this moment in our nation’s history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people.”
She added, “I love this state, its people — this is my home. But after careful consideration, I have decided not to run for governor.”
The decision, reported by The Associated Press, extends ongoing speculation about Harris’s political future, especially after her two unsuccessful bids for the presidency in 2020 and 2024.
While she did not mention Donald Trump by name, she criticized the state of U.S. leadership, saying, “Our policies, our government, and our institutions have failed the American people too many times and led us to this moment of crisis.”
Harris has yet to confirm if or when she will launch a third campaign for the White House.
“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,” she posted.
Primaries for California’s next governor are set to take place in June 2026, before the general election in November. Newsom is completing his second and final term and the new governor will take office in 2027.
Democrats dominate the state’s political leadership, and whoever wins the party’s nomination will be expected to then take the governorship. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican to serve as governor, left office in 2011.
An economic powerhouse of America, California would be the world’s 5th largest economy if it were a country. It’s also home to the Silicon Valley, where companies like Apple and Meta are based, giving its governor, as well as its regulations and laws, influence at the national level.
