Nearly half of voters in California are open to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris if she decides to run for governor in two years, according to a poll conducted by the University of California at Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Forty-six percent of registered voters in the Golden State said they would be likely to back Harris, while 42% said they would be unlikely to support her. California Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and cannot seek a third term in 2026, leading to speculation about who will succeed him.
The race to become California’s next governor is expected to draw national attention, as Democrats outnumber Republicans in the state by a significant margin. Harris, a California resident, has a long history in politics in the state, serving as San Francisco district attorney and state attorney general before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. She easily captured California’s 54 electoral votes in the presidential election and currently leads Donald Trump by over 20 points in the state.
Despite being criticized by Trump for the state’s challenges, including crime and high prices, Harris remains a popular figure in California. Speculation about her future plans has been circulating, but the vice president has not publicly discussed any potential future endeavors. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a longtime ally of Harris, is already running to succeed Newsom in 2026, launching her gubernatorial bid over a year ago.
Trump held a rally in California last month, a state that has not voted for a Republican in a presidential election in over 35 years. Harris, who grew up in the state’s Bay Area, maintains a home in West Los Angeles with her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The upcoming gubernatorial race is expected to attract interest from top politicians, given California’s strong Democratic leanings and the absence of a Republican governor in nearly two decades.
As Harris’s term as vice president comes to an end in two months, there is much speculation about her future plans. With her strong support in California and potential interest in running for governor, the race to succeed Newsom is shaping up to be competitive and closely watched. The poll results indicate a significant level of support for Harris among California voters, setting the stage for a potentially interesting and hotly contested gubernatorial race in the years to come.
