Kamala Harris Next California Governor? New Polls Say She Has A Chance

Kamala Harris' loss in the presidential election has led to speculation about the Vice President's next steps in American politics. The former California Senator was earlier touted to replace Justice Sonia Sotomayor as a judge in the US Supreme Court. However, after it was clear that Sotomayor would not step down, Harris is now being linked to the post of California's governor. A poll conducted between October 22 and 29 by the UC Berkeley and the Los Angeles Times showed Harris as one of the preferred candidates to replace current Governor Gavin Newsom in 2026, as he will not be able to run again due to a term limitation. The poll showed that as many as 72% of Democrats surveyed in the poll said that they would likely or somewhat support Harris if she makes a bid for the Governor's post in 2026. The same poll also showed that while 38% of voters with no party preference would likely prefer Harris as the next Governor of California, that number was 8% among Republicans.Also read: Despite the massive support from the Democrats, the overall numbers did not paint a rosy picture for the Vice President in the event she considers a run for the Gubernatorial job in 2026. The poll found that only 46% of voters from Harris' home state would somewhat or very likely support a bid to the Governor's office from the veteran Democrat. The 2026 California gubernatorial election is set for November 3, 2026. Several prominent candidates have already declared their intentions to run. It includes Lieutenant Governor Eleni Eleni Kounalakis, the current Lieutenant Governor, Tony Thurmond, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Toni Atkins, former California Senate President, Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of Los Angeles and Betty Yee, former State Controller.