Many thought Kamala would call it quits after her embarrassing performance on election night. But that dream has been dashed.
Because Kamala Harris made an election announcement that blindsides Donald Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris, now out of the political spotlight, is reportedly keeping her options open for a possible comeback, fueling chatter about a potential 2026 run for California governor or even another shot at the presidency in 2028.
At 60, Harris remains resolute, telling close allies she’s “staying in the fight” and planning to deliberate her future with family over the holidays, according to five sources who spoke to Politico.
“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” a former campaign aide noted. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”
While betting markets see Harris as a contender in the 2028 presidential race, she’s trailing behind Democratic heavyweights like former first lady Michelle Obama and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Nonetheless, with both parties likely fielding wide-open contests, Harris’ name remains in the mix.
Historically, presidential losers rarely succeed in a second attempt — but Donald Trump bucked that trend on Nov. 5, reclaiming the White House.
Harris, who became the first Democrat in 20 years to lose the popular vote, also struggled with public perception during her tenure. By June 2023, an NBC News poll found her favorability rating had plunged to 32%, with 49% of registered voters holding a negative view of her.
Despite these setbacks, Harris has shown resilience. In a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary poll conducted by Echelon Insights, she led with 41%, far outpacing rivals like Newsom (8%) and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (7%).
With Newsom term-limited in California, some see an opportunity for Harris to reclaim her Golden State political roots. However, the prospect remains uncertain.
“Could she run for governor? Yes. Do I think she wants to run for governor? Probably not. Could she win? Definitely. Would she like the job? I don’t know,” former Harris aide Brian Brokaw told Politico.
As for another presidential bid, Brokaw added, “Would she have a whole bunch of skepticism from the outset…? Absolutely. But people can learn a lot from their previous adversity, too.”
After conceding to Trump in a speech at Howard University, Harris has kept a low profile. Last week, she and second gentleman Doug Emhoff escaped to Hawaii for a vacation, skipping a White House “losers party” attended by donors and insiders.
Harris had been thrust into the 2024 race over the summer after President Biden abruptly exited, leaving her just 107 days to overhaul a floundering campaign and reintroduce herself to voters. Now, freed from the urgency of the campaign, she’s reassessing her place in the Democratic Party and planning her response to Trump’s return to power.
“There will be a desire to hear her voice, and there won’t be a vacuum for long,” a source close to Harris remarked.
As she prepares to leave the Naval Observatory, Harris must decide whether to return to California or settle elsewhere. She also faces the somber task of presiding over the certification of her electoral defeat. By mid-2025, six months after Trump’s inauguration, her Secret Service protection will end.
“She is not someone who makes rash decisions,” Brokaw added. “She takes, sometimes, a painfully long time to make decisions. So I would pretty much guarantee you she has no idea what her next move is.”
Reps for the Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
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