What’s Next For Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris waiting to speak at a campaign rally at United Auto Workers Local 900 on August 8, 2024, in Wayne, Michigan. Source: Andrew Harnik via Yes! Magazine

For her entire career, Kamala Harris has been seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party. She has established herself as a trailblazer since her election as District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003, being the first woman and person of color to hold the office. During an appearance on the Today Show in 2009, she was called “the female Barack Obama.”

Harris continued to build her profile through her career in the US Senate as a tough questioner who often tore apart the Trump Administration’s nominees. Even in a crowded, talented, and experienced Democratic presidential primary field in 2020, she punched well above her weight. Most notably, her June 2019 debate zinger, the infamous “that little girl was me” quip to Joe Biden’s opposition to busing in the 1970s, nearly brought down his presidential campaign and briefly shot Harris to second place in the polls ahead of far better-known figures such as Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders. 

For the majority of her time as Vice President, Harris was seen as the frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic nomination and Joe Biden’s heir apparent. This status was expedited by Biden’s sudden exit from the 2024 race leading to Harris’ 100-day blitz to the White House, setting her on the fast track to becoming President of the United States.

And then she lost. 

For the first time since the beginning of her public life, Kamala Harris has no obvious career trajectory. While the Vice President has been lying low since the election, she has notably been telling close aides to “keep her options open,” a particularly thought-provoking statement considering Harris’ relative youth.  

This begs the question, what’s next for Kamala Harris? Here are her options:

Option 1: Harris 2028 - We Are Going Back 

If Donald Trump’s election proves anything, it’s that a political comeback is always a possibility no matter the size of the obstacles. 

Besides Donald Trump, a number of failed presidential nominees have successfully reclaimed their party’s nomination in a later election including Richard Nixon in 1968, Adlai Stevenson in 1956, Thomas Dewey in 1948, and William Jennings Bryan twice in 1900 and 1908. 

In a recent poll by Echelon Insights, Harris received 41% of the vote in a hypothetical Democratic primary for the 2028 nomination. This gave her a commanding lead over other potential 2028 hopefuls such as Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer, none of whom broke even 10%. 

However, this does not mean that Kamala Harris is the shoo-in to the nomination that she seems.

First of all, this poll was conducted laughably early. All of its data was recorded within two weeks of election day. Drawing conclusions for an election nearly four years away at a time when we still do not completely understand the full picture of the dynamics in the 2024 election is audacious at best and mind-numbingly meaningless at worst. 

Secondly, Harris’ lead is likely a result of the recency of her loss to Donald Trump creating a wave of sympathy in the Democratic Party in her favor, and her having significantly more publicity and exposure than any of the other candidates polled. These two factors will certainly shift as the 2028 campaign progresses. 

Furthermore, failed presidential nominees from the previous election have led in the polls in the past. Hillary Clinton led polls as late as 2019 for the 2020 nomination and even privately mused running again if there were to be a contested convention that year. Former President Gerald Ford led in polls for the 1980 Republican nomination until late 1978, and received more than a third of support in the primary polling until early in the election year, despite never formally declaring his candidacy. 

While a Harris victory in the 2028 democratic primary is far from impossible, the party must ask itself if that’s the alternative they want to present in 4 years time. Kamala Harris holds the distinction of being the only person to ever lose an American presidential election to a convicted felon. Not exactly a glowing reflection on her as a national candidate. 

Kamala Harris could very well make a second bid for the presidency, but I wouldn’t bet on it. 

Option 2: Going to California 

In 2026, California will elect their next governor. The state’s current governor, Gavin Newsom, is term-limited and ineligible to seek reelection. This could provide the perfect opportunity for Kamala Harris to return to her political roots and trade Washington for Sacramento. 

If Harris were to choose this option, she would have to face a crowded Democratic field that includes California’s Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and former President pro tempore of the California State Senate Toni Atkins. 

However, Harris would likely be able to sweep this field of candidates on pure name recognition alone. The Vice President remains highly popular in the Democratic party, and California voters are unlikely to reject their state’s arguably most famous politician.

While it is true that California shifted significantly to the right in the 2024 election relative to 2020, Harris would likely face little serious opposition in the general election against whomever her Republican challenger would be. Democratic party strength in California, Harris’ notoriety and connections, paired with the 2026 midterms taking place under the shadow of a second Trump administration that is likely to provoke a strong backlash puts the Governor’s Mansion well within reach for Kamala Harris. 

Of course, a stunning upset is absolutely possible. A Harris candidacy would be eerily similar to Richard Nixon’s after the election of 1960. Like Harris, Nixon was a sitting Vice President who failed to win the presidency and then ran for governor of California, his home state, in the midterm election that followed. Despite his national recognition and having won California in the 1960 presidential race, Nixon was defeated by incumbent Democratic Governor Pat Brown. This shows that even a well-known candidate with significant political experience can still lose.

A final consideration for Harris’ potential gubernatorial ambitions is the question of whether or not she would even want it. While the California Governorship is undoubtedly a powerful role, it could be seen as a step down from her previous position as Vice President, which carries significant international stature.

Going from national security briefing, meetings with world leaders, and being a heartbeat away from the presidency to waking up every day and being in glorious Sacramento may not be ideal for Harris’ ego. 

Option 3: Relaxing Under A Coconut Tree 

Let’s set one thing straight: Kamala Harris doesn’t need to do anything. She has had an incredible career and has enough experiences to fill countless lifetimes. Harris retiring from public service and choosing to spend the rest of her life with her family, writing her memoirs, and pursuing her many other passions is a completely reasonable and understandable path forward. 

While there are a few notable examples of former presidential nominees who have sought to reclaim their political legacies, such instances are few and far between. Most former candidates choose to step away from the demands of campaigning and governance, opting for a quieter, more reflective phase of life.

Though Harris’ influence over her party will likely fade as the 2024 election moves further into the past, she will certainly remain a key figure in shaping the direction of the Democratic Party for years to come. She is sure to be a staple at many future Democratic National Conventions as the inspiration to so many, particularly women of color.

While Harris has been lampooned for her distinctive and infectious laugh, she may just find that her best option is to sit back and keep laughing for the next 4 years as Donald Trump stumbles through his second term, completely unburdened by what has been.