Washington — Former Vice President Kamala Harris will decide whether she will run for governor of California in 2026 by the end of summer, a person familiar with her decision-making process said.
Term limits prevent current California Gov. Gavin Newsom from running again, and the election to replace him will take place next year. Politico first reported the timing on Harris’ self-imposed deadline to decide whether to run. Candidates have until early March 2026 to file paperwork ahead of the June 2, 2026, primary.
Another source familiar with Harris’ thinking told CBS News that she is “seriously considering” a run for governor. A gubernatorial bid would likely mean she would not run for president in 2028, which she is also considering.
The field to replace Newsom, who has been governor since 2019, is expected to be sizable, but Harris’ entry into the race could dissuade other Democrats from launching bids of their own.
A former Harris adviser said “she’d be great,” and has already proven she could lead at the national level and as California attorney general.
“On a national level, what Newsom has been able to do with that job, there is a lot of upside with what she can do as the governor of the fifth-largest economy with her name ID, when our party is looking for national leadership and California looking for good governance — especially at a time when California is going through a lot,” the former adviser said.
Harris, 60, has largely stayed out of the spotlight since her November loss to President Trump. Following the election, Harris and former second gentleman Doug Emhoff first headed back to California, while she took time to decide her next move. Her primary residence is in Los Angeles. As of January, multiple sources said she was expected to work on books about her time in politics and her interest in food and cooking. But discussions were already underway among her allies about a possible run for governor.
In California primaries, all candidates for office are listed on the ballot, and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, move on to the general election.
