What’s Next for VP Kamala Harris? Allies Urge Run for Governor or 2028 Presidential Bid

After losing on Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris is already planning her next steps in politics. Harris has told her advisers she isn’t stepping away from public life and is considering a run for California governor in 2026 or another bid for president in 2028.

“I’m staying in the fight,” Harris told her team, making it clear she’s not done with politics.

What’s Next for Harris?

As she prepares to leave the White House, Harris has been keeping a low profile, focusing on family conversations during the holidays about her next move. Her groundbreaking role as the second Black woman to run for president has left her a key figure in the Democratic Party, even as President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race earlier this year.

“There will be a lot of people who want to hear what she has to say,” a close ally said. Kamala might set up a group to help her stay active in politics, give speeches, and keep her connections strong.

Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are also figuring out where to live after leaving Washington, D.C. Their Los Angeles home is one option, but safety concerns are an issue since her Secret Service protection will end six months after leaving office. It will be the first time in 20 years that Harris will be out of public office.

Many Democratic allies are backing Kamala, no matter what she decides. Pollster Paul Maslin said Harris has faced challenges unlike anyone else recently and should take time to decide her future. “No one knows what she’s been through these past four months,” Maslin said. “She deserves time to figure it out.”

Former aide Brian Brokaw doubts Harris is eager to run for governor, saying the idea might be coming more from her supporters than from her. “Could she run for governor? Yes. Does she want to? Probably not,” he said. “Could she win? Definitely. Could she run for president again? Yes.”

Before leaving office, Kamala will oversee the certification of the presidential election results and attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. As she plans her next steps, Harris remains a powerful figure in the Democratic Party, and her future choices could shape the political landscape for years.