Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday that she will not enter the 2026 California governor’s race, ending months of speculation about her political future.
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“In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor,” Harris said in a statement to The Advocate. “I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”
The announcement marks a turning point for Harris, who has spent more than two decades in public life as a prosecutor, California attorney general, U.S. senator, and vice president. She offered no details about her long-term plans but signaled a continued role in national politics and Democratic organizing.
“For now, my leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office,” Harris said. “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.”
Harris cited what she described as a “moment of crisis” in American political life, urging Democrats to embrace “new methods and fresh thinking—committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.”
Her decision reshapes the landscape for California’s 2026 gubernatorial race. Harris’s potential entry had frozen the field, with many donors and strategists unwilling to commit until her intentions were clear. A recent University of California, Irvine poll had shown Harris leading the field by double digits, with 24 percent support, more than twice that of her nearest potential rival, businessman Rick Caruso, at 9 percent. But 40 percent of likely voters remained undecided.
The path to the governor’s mansion is now more apparent for a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, and former State Senate President Toni Atkins, all of whom had been carefully navigating the race amid uncertainty about Harris’s plans.
Reacting to Harris’s announcement, Democratic leader and gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins released a statement reiterating her commitment to the race. “From day one, this campaign has been about California’s future — tackling rising costs, defending our freedoms, and standing up for communities too often left behind,” she said. “Vice President Harris has made her decision, and I thank her for her decades of service to our state and country.
“The mission hasn’t changed,” Atkins added. “This is a campaign built to lead, built to win, and built to fight for every Californian, in every zip code. Our path to victory is clear, and I’m ready to lead on day one as Governor of California.”
Atkins, the former Senate President pro tempore, would be California’s first out lesbian governor. She is a longtime champion for reproductive freedom and affordable housing.
The former vice president’s decision not to seek elected office for now comes during a broader national reckoning for the Democratic Party, which has been forced to recalibrate after the November 2024 election saw the country turn to the rising authoritarian rhetoric from the Trump administration. Harris’s statement alluded to that tension.
“We must recognize that our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis,” she said. "In the United States of America, power must lie with the people. And We, the People must use our power to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and the dignity of all."
Harris added, “I will remain in that fight."
Editor’s note: This developing story has been updated with additional reporting.
This article originally appeared on Advocate: BREAKING: Kamala Harris announces whether she’ll run for California governor or not
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