Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday she will not be running for governor in her home state of California next year, despite much speculation.
Since leaving office following her loss to President Donald Trump in the presidential election, Harris said she has spent the last six months reflecting and has given "serious thought" to running for governor of the Golden State.
However, Harris said she has ultimately decided — for now — that her leadership "will not be in elected office."
"I have extraordinary admiration and respect for those who dedicate their lives to public service—service to their communities and to our nation," Harris said in a statement. "At the same time, 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."
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A former Harris campaign official who remains in touch with the vice president told Scripps News that Harris “grappled” with what was a “really tough” decision, but ultimately came to believe she could have the “biggest impact outside of elected office, being a part of a national conversation.” The official, granted anonymity to relay insights about Harris’s decision, said the former vice president believed running for governor would “preclude” her ability to participate in those national debates.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be finishing up his second term as the state's top elected official in 2026, and he will no longer be eligible for re-election.
Candidates to take his place will have until early March to file their paperwork ahead of the June 2 primary, according to the California Secretary of State's Office.
There is already a list of names vying for the position, including Democrats like Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — and Republicans such as Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton.
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For now, it's unclear what role Harris will play in future politics, having previously served as California's attorney general and U.S. senator representing the state.
Harris’s announcement adds to speculation that she may ultimately seek the Democratic nomination for president once again in 2028. Asked about that possibility, the Harris ally told Scripps News that Harris hadn’t yet made a decision either way about the presidential race. Not running for governor, the official said, “keeps her open [so] she can make an impact in different spaces outside of elected office or outside of being a candidate for office,” giving her “added flexibility.”
Harris’s statement announcing the decision made no mention of her 2028 plans.
"In the United States of America, power must lie with the people. And We, the People must use our power to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and the dignity of all. I will remain in that fight," she concluded.
