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Kamala Harris, the former vice-president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, announced on Wednesday that she will not run for governor of California – a highly anticipated decision that leaves the contest to lead the country’s largest blue state wide open.
“After deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,” Harris said in a statement, ending months of speculation about whether she might enter the race filled with lesser-known aspirants. Harris, who previously served as California’s attorney general and US senator, offered few details about her future plans but promised to share more “in the months ahead”.
“For now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office,” she said, leaving the door open for a future bid. “I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”
Her looming decision had in effect paralyzed the race to replace the term-limited Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, with early polling suggesting she was Californians’ top choice. The Harris-less race to lead the nation’s largest blue state will now take place in a political landscape dramatically reshaped by her loss to Donald Trump in November, which plunged the party into a period of paralysis and soul-searching.
In the months since, the Democratic base has grown increasingly furious with its old guard, demanding fresh leadership and a more combative approach to what they view as Trump’s increasingly authoritarian agenda.
In a nod to the discontent roiling her party, Harris said: “We must recognize that our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis. As we look ahead, we must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking – committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.”
The crowded field of Democrats running for governor includes Xavier Becerra, the former attorney general of California who served with Harris in Biden’s cabinet as the secretary of health and human services; Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Democratic mayor of Los Angeles; the state’s lieutenant governor, Eleni Kounalakis, who is close friends with Harris; and the former representative Katie Porter.
The most prominent Republicans in the race are Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside county, and Steve Hilton, the former Fox host and former adviser to then UK prime minister David Cameron. Ric Grenell, a longtime Trump ally, has also toyed with the idea of running.
Harris had maintained a relatively low profile since leaving office in January, offering few clues about her political future. In her few public remarks, she vowed to stay engaged in politics and warned that the US was witnessing a “wholesale abandonment of America’s highest ideals” by its president.
On Wednesday, Harris again vowed to remain politically engaged.
“We, the People must use our power to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and the dignity of all,” she said. “I will remain in that fight.”
