Former Vice President Kamala Harris hasn’t decided on her future political plans since losing the 2024 presidential election, but should she enter California's 2026 gubernatorial race, her prospects look better than other potential Democratic candidates.
A new survey from Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill shows Harris as the frontrunner, with support from 57 percent of Democratic primary voters.
Former Rep. Katie Porter follows, at 9%, 4% support former Speaker of the California State Assembly Antonio Villaraigosa and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalaki respectively; 17% are undecided. Without Harris on the ballot, a plurality (45%) are undecided, while 21% support Porter, 9% Villaraigosa, and 5% Kounalakis. (Emerson College Polling)
“Support for Harris is strongest among women (60%), Hispanics (61%), and Black Democratic voters (64%),” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “If Vice President Harris enters the Democratic Primary, she would start as the clear favorite. Without Harris in the race, the primary is wide open. Former Rep. Porter leads the pack, performing well among voters with college degrees (26%) or postgraduate degrees (25%).”
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Harris was evasive when asked recently about her future plans as she toured destruction from the wildfire in the Pacific Palisades.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days,” she said. “My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them, and, most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis.”
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