Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for governor of California in 2026 she announced Wednesday, leaving in place a crowded field of Democrats with no clear front-runner. She left open the possibility that she may run for the White House in 2028.
“In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor,” Harris said Wednesday in a statement. “I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”
Harris lost the 2024 presidential race to Donald Trump after stepping in at the eleventh hour as the Democratic nominee in place of then-President Joe Biden. While she easily won California over Trump in November, her margin of victory was smaller than Biden’s in 2020 because more Black and Latino voters backed Trump.
Harris said that after six months of reflection and consideration of the best ways to continue fighting to advance her values, she decided to take a step back from running for office. But she appeared to leave the door open for another White House bid in 2028.
“For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office. 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,” Harris said.
Said longtime adviser Sean Clegg: “I don’t think running for president right now is her focus, but she’s not taking it off the table.”
Glynda Carr, president of Higher Heights for America, a nonprofit that tracks Black women’s participation in the political space, said she looks forward to following Harris’ next chapter in public life.
“Vice President Kamala Harris has spent her career breaking barriers and blazing trails, from serving as California’s attorney General and U.S. Senator to making history as the first Black woman Vice President of the United States,” Carr said in a statement. “Her decision not to enter the California governor’s race underscores her deep commitment to public service on her own terms and in ways that center the needs of our communities. “
Carr continued, “Kamala Harris has been and remains a symbol of what is possible when Black women lead unapologetically. While she may not be pursuing elected office at this moment, her statement makes clear that she will continue to use her platform to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity for all.”
The list of Democratic candidates for governor includes Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state schools chief Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Controller Betty Yee, former Rep. Katie Porter and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Republicans Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, and former Fox News host Steve Hilton are also running.
Harris’ entry promised to reshape the field: Kounalakis said she would bow out if Harris ran and Porter had said she would likely exit the race, too. Other candidates were also thought to be eyeing a move to other offices instead of running against the former vice president.
The 2026 race will be shaped by California’s relationship with Trump’s administration, which under Newsom has been rocky. At Newsom’s urging, state lawmakers approved $50 million in funding to fight Trump’s policies in court. Attorney General Rob Bonta has already sued the Trump administration more than 30 times over its attempts to end birthright citizenship, freeze federal grant funding and other actions. And Trump has attacked the state over its water management — including by insulting state leaders in the midst of devastating wildfires — as well as its policies protecting transgender residents, high-speed rail and more.
Harris’ statement Wednesday could be seen as advice for the candidates in the race: “We must recognize that our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis,” she said. “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.”
