Who could be California’s next governor after Kamala Harris bows out? These contenders are eyeing top job

Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that she will not run for Governor of California. People had been wondering for months if she would run after she lost the presidential race to Donald Trump last year.

In a statement, Harris said she had thought seriously about running but finally decided not to after "deep reflection". She said she loves California, its people, and its promise, and called it her home. Harris added that she will not run for any elected office for now and will instead spend time listening to Americans and helping other Democrats win, as per the report by NBC.

She also mentioned that she would share more about her own plans in the coming months. Two people close to her said Harris wants to keep the door open for a possible run for President in 2028. Running for governor wouldn’t stop her from running for president, but it would have made things harder, so she took that into account.


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One of those people said Harris had many conversations over months before deciding. They said it was a really tough decision and she struggled with it because she wanted to have the biggest impact possible, according to the report by NBC.

Another person who knows her plans said she met her advisers about a month ago in Los Angeles to talk it through. At that meeting, her options were: don’t run for governor, prepare for 2028, or step away from elected politics altogether.

Why Kamala Harris stepped away from governor race

In the end, she made the decision on her own, that person said. In the short term, she’s thinking about working with nonprofits and maybe starting a political action committee (PAC). One source said she’s also planning to help campaign for Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.

A third person who spoke with her on Wednesday said Harris still wants to talk to Californians and others across the U.S. That person also said Harris had a real chance of winning the governor race if she had decided to run, as stated by NBC.

But they added that she wants to stay part of national politics and talk about issues like Donald Trump. Being in California debates and forums would not let her do that at a national level, so she stepped back.

Who is running for California governor now

Harris had 10 years of experience in California statewide roles, first as attorney general and then as U.S. senator. She left the Senate after Joe Biden won the 2020 election and made her Vice President. In the last presidential race, she replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee after he dropped out.

Now that Harris is not running, the race for California’s next governor is wide open. Current Governor Gavin Newsom can’t run again because of term limits. Several Democrats have already jumped into the race, trying to replace him, as per the NBC report.

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These candidates include Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis, Xavier Becerra (former health secretary and state attorney general), Katie Porter (former congresswoman), Toni Atkins (former state senate president), and Antonio Villaraigosa (former LA mayor).

California is a strongly Democratic state, and most expect the Democratic Party to keep control of the governor’s office. In the last presidential race, Harris won California by 20 points, showing how blue the state still is, as mentioned in the report by NBC.

FAQs

Q1. Why did Kamala Harris decide not to run for California governor?
Kamala Harris chose not to run so she can stay active in national politics and possibly prepare for a 2028 presidential run.

Q2. Who are the top candidates for California governor after Kamala Harris dropped out?
Democrats like Eleni Kounalakis, Xavier Becerra, Katie Porter, Toni Atkins, and Antonio Villaraigosa are running to replace Gavin Newsom.