Harris for California governor? Poll finds voters open to possibility

What Vice President Kamala Harris will do next after losing the presidential election is unclear, but a new poll out Wednesday suggests she could count on a warm reception among many California voters if she eyes the top job in her home state.
In a poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times, nearly half of the state’s voters would be very or somewhat likely to support a Harris bid for governor.
“If Vice President Harris were to run, she would have an important advantage as she is by far the best known of the potential candidates,” poll co-director Eric Schickler said in a statement Wednesday.
More:Who is running for governor in California in 2026? Candidates, money stacking up
The 2026 race is a crowded one, with several well-known Democratic players already declaring their candidacy and raising millions. It will be the first open gubernatorial race in the nation’s largest state in eight years, following current Gov. Gavin Newsom’s resounding win against a Republican opponent in 2018. Newsom is now completing his second term, and is unable to run again due to term limits.
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Harris has not said what she plans to do next since losing the presidential election, and in the past has signaled little interest in the governorship.
One in three of the state’s voters, 33%, say they would be very likely to consider a Harris candidacy for governor, and another 13% say they would be somewhat likely. Yet 42% of those polled said they would not be likely to support her, and another 12% say they are undecided.
The vice president handily won California in her bid for president Nov. 5, and with 84% of votes estimated to be counted, the Associated Press Wednesday estimates her winning by 58.8%. Final numbers will be certified Dec. 13, and totals are subject to change as votes are continued to be tallied.
Of a long list of nine Democrats and four Republicans who have announced their intention to run or been floated as possibilities — excluding Harris — no single candidate emerged as a clear leader among those polled. About half of California voters polled said they don’t favor any candidate at this time, but early favorites include Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle.
The first to declare candidacy in the race, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, is one of three Democratic women hoping to become the first female governor. Former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and former state Controller Betty Yee round out the list of women candidates to so far enter the race. Other official candidates include former Los Angeles Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
“For now, this is shaping up to be a wide-open race, with several Democrats likely to battle it out for the attention of Democratic voters,” Schickler said.
The poll was completed online Oct. 22 to 29, among 4,341 Californians registered to vote.
Kathryn Palmer is an elections fellow for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X@KathrynPlmr.