Kamala Harris Won’t Run for California Governor

Kamala Harris won’t run for California governor, she said Wednesday, forgoing a shot at her home state’s highest post to keep open the possibility of another White House bid 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 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.”

Her decision re-opens the possibility of another presidential campaign by one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures. In her statement, however, she expressed misgivings with what she cast as the limitations of government.

“I have extraordinary admiration and respect for those who dedicate their lives to public service — service to their communities and to our nation,” she said. “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.”

Harris said, “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’ announcement upends the contest to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, which has been largely static as the field braced for a possible Harris candidacy. With near-universal name identification, strong approval ratings among Democrats and a national fundraising network, Harris would have begun the race as an imposing frontrunner.

But there were warning signs that Harris, though formidable, would face some challenges in a quest for the governor’s mansion. Party activists and some donors were lukewarm to her potential bid, still nursing a hangover from 2024 and reluctant to be reminded of her losing presidential campaign. And pressure was mounting for Harris to articulate a vision for governing a massive and complicated state where she has not lived full-time in nearly a decade.

Even Willie Brown, the California political icon whom Harris dated early in her prosecutorial career, cast doubt on Harris’ gubernatorial ambitions in a recent podcast, arguing she was not suited to be an executive.

Some declared Democrats indicated before Harris’ announcement that they would not step aside in deference. Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra are among the contenders who insisted they would run regardless of Harris’ plans. Republicans, meanwhile, had giddily anticipated her return as a way of galvanizing their base.

Her lengthy deliberations — met with increasing impatience from Democratic activists and donors, not to mention the other declared candidates — led to a sense her decision was long overdue. But the relentless speculation belied the fact that a Harris gubernatorial bid had hardly been on anyone’s bingo card more than a year ago.

Until recently, Harris dwelled squarely in the realm of national politics — a sitting vice president who represented her country on the global stage and mostly visited her home state for low-key retreats from Washington.

Then came the extraordinary events of summer and fall 2024: President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance leading to him abandoning his reelection bid; Harris’ swift consolidation of party support to become the Democratic presidential nominee; and a warp-speed presidential campaign against Donald Trump that ended with her narrowly losing the popular vote and coming up short in all seven swing states.

After leaving office, Harris has maintained a discreet public profile, limiting any overtly political appearances to a handful of speeches. Behind the scenes, she was consulting with supporters and donors as she weighed the governorship, another White House bid or finding an unelected way to remain civically engaged.