Failed Democrat presidential candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris could soon launch her political comeback in her home state of California where buzz is building that she could be set to jump into the race for governor.
With Gavin Newsom being term-limited, the logical choice for the state’s ruling Democratic Party to turn to would be its former attorney general who is beloved by the Hollywood elite and has name recognition. But she could face a serious Republican challenge from a top Trump administration official if she runs.
Richard Grenell a longtime ally of President Donald J. Trump who is currently serving as the U.S. envoy for special missions teased that he could consider spoiling a potential Harris gubernatorial bid and that she would be such a bad pick by Democrats that a Republican might actually have a chance of winning a statewide election for the first time in more than two decades.
“If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage and hundreds of millions of dollars in educating the voters of how terrible she is, that it’s a new day in California and that the Republican actually has a shot,” Grenell told reporters at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, according to Fox News.
“I wouldn’t say no” he added, teasing a future campaign against Harris who was crushed by Trump in the November election, losing all seven swing states as well as the popular vote.
With no clear successor to Joe Biden as party leader, the Democrats could again look to Harris as their standard bearer in 2028 if she can survive an actual primary process, which is not certain.
A much better chance would be the California governorship and according to polling, she would be a veritable slam dunk and is currently blowing away all competitors.
Emerson College poll
California Governor 2026
Harris 57%
Porter 9%
Villaraigosa 4%
Kounalakis 4%
Atkins 3%
Yee 2%
Cloobeck 1%
Thurmond 1%
Younger 1%Someone else 3%
Undecided 17%2/10-2/11 RV https://t.co/1NPeSkbnMG
— Politics & Poll Tracker (@PollTracker2024) February 13, 2025
Whether polling would translate into an enthusiastic turnout for Harris is another thing entirely, and if the ho-hum reception from fans at a recent Los Angeles Lakers game that the ex-veep took in is any indication, Grenell may be on to something about the race to replace Newsom being a rare opportunity for Republicans.
Kamala Harris went to the Lakers game and nobody there cared pic.twitter.com/U0gTvDl49S
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 7, 2025
Harris, who is currently laying low and mulling her political options, has so far been cool on making any sort of statement about a potential gubernatorial run.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days. My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them,” she recently told reporters as she toured damage from the devastating wildfires in the Pacific Palisades area near Los Angeles.
“I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground,” Harris added.
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