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Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kamala Harris Finishes Third Place in Her Home State in New 2028 Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New California polling shows former Vice President Kamala Harris losing steam in her home state in a look-ahead to Democrats' chances in the 2028 presidential election primary, after she recently announced she would not be seeking a run as California's next governor. Why It Matters Many political observers are curious about Harris' future in politics after she announced a week ago that she would not run to succeed term-limited California Governor Gavin Newsom, saying in part that "for now," her "leadership and public service" will be provided in an arena outside of elected office. Harris, who had an unsuccessful presidential run in 2020, was tasked by Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in 2024 with limited months' notice and preparation following questions about former President Joe Biden's mental acuity. She ultimately lost every swing state in November and garnered about 2.3 million fewer votes than her Republican opponent. What To Know An Emerson College poll of California voters released Friday shows Harris at 11 percent, trailing California Governor Gavin Newsom at 23 percent and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at 17 percent in a potential 2028 Democratic primary. Harris is, however, ahead of New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is at 9 percent. On the Republican side, 40 percent support Vice President JD Vance, 10 percent support Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, and 9 percent support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, poll of roughly 1,000 California voters was conducted August 4 to 5 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The results differ from a national Emerson poll in June, when Buttigieg led the Democratic pack with 16 percent followed by Harris at 13 percent, Newsom at 12 percent, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both 7 percent, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 5 percent, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker at 3 percent. Twenty-three percent were undecided. However, that poll took into account U.S. voters and not just those from California. Camille Mumford, communications director for Emerson College Polling, told Newsweek via email on Friday that directly following the 2024 election, their November poll found Harris front of mind for Democratic voters who named her as their top choice for the nomination in 2028. "Eight months later, voters appear to be looking for a new face as the nominee, and Harris has fallen into the pack of potential candidates," Mumford said. "Harris performs strongest among Black Democratic primary voters nationally, 30 percent of whom supported her in June; and those in the Midwest and South, 16 percent of whom support Harris, compared to 9 percent of those in both the Northeast and West." Harris, who has a history in California as former district attorney, attorney general and U.S. Senator, lacked a strong home base in the 2020 Democratic primary, Mumford noted. In Emerson's September 2019 poll, Biden, Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren led the primary with Harris trailing in fourth place. She then dropped out in December of that year, ahead of the deadline for taking her name off of the California primary ballot. California Governor Race Now that Harris has said she won't run for California governor, it's allowed other familiar faces in the state to garner more attention. Per the new Emerson poll, California voters find former Democratic Representative Katie Porter leading the primary for California governor with 18 percent, followed by Republican political commentator Steve Hilton at 12 percent, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 7 percent, and former Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at 5 percent. About 38 percent remain undecided. What People Are Saying Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, in a statement: "With Kamala Harris officially out of the race, Katie Porter has emerged as the Democratic frontrunner, increasing her support from 12 percent to 18 percent since the April Emerson poll." Harris, in a statement released on X on July 30: "Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation's history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear. "I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor. 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." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the former vice president will enter the 2028 presidential race.
Newsweek
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kamala Harris Reveals Why She's Not Running for California Governor
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed why she is not running for California governor in a preview clip that dropped ahead of her full interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to Harris' office via email for additional comment. Why It Matters Harris has notably been out of the public spotlight since losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump in November. Speculation mounted that Harris may throw her name into the race for California governor for the 2026 election. Early polling, however, also shows the former vice president as a strong contender for the Democratic primary in the 2028 presidential election, along with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York U.S. Representative Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) What To Know In the clip, Colbert asks if Harris is not running for governor in order to run for another office. Harris responded "no, no," amid a roar from the audience. "Listen, I am a devout public servant. I have spent my entire career in service of the people. And, I thought a lot about running for governor, I love my state. I love California. I've served as just elected district attorney, attorney general and senator, but to be very candid with you, you know ... when I was young in my career, I had to defend my decision to become a prosecutor with my family," Harris said. "One of the points that I made is, why is it then when we think we want to improve a system or change it that we're always on the outside on bended knee or trying to break down the door? Shouldn't we also be inside the system? And that has been my career," Harris said. "Recently, I made the decision that I, just for now, I don't want to go back in the system. I think it's broken." Harris later added that she has believed that "as fragile as our democracy is," those systems in the United States "would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles." Harris said that she thinks "right now ... they're not as strong as they need to be." The former vice president is now interested in traveling the country to listen and talk with people and for it not to be "transactional." Colbert noted that it was "harrowing" to hear her say that the systems are broken, while Harris replied that she will always "be a part of the fight." Vice President Kamala Harris offers a candid reflection on her decision not to seek office, citing the deep dysfunction within our current systems.#Colbert #KamalaHarris. This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
Newsweek
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kamala Harris Shares Major Update on Political Future
Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for California Governor in 2026, according to a statement released from her office Wednesday, the Associate Press reported. The announcement could signal a move to run for the White House in 2028. "Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation's history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear," Harris said in the statement. "I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor. 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," Harris continued. Harris has had unsuccessful runs in both 2020 and 2024 but still served as Vice President in the Joe Biden administration. This is a breaking news story. Updates to come.
Newsweek
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Could Kamala Harris Lose California Gubernatorial Race? What New Poll Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has an early lead among potential candidates in California's gubernatorial race—but many voters are still undecided about who they'll be voting in the election, according to a new poll. Newsweek reached out to Harris' team for comment via their press contact form. Why It Matters Harris is reportedly eyeing a political comeback after her loss in the 2024 presidential election against President Donald Trump last November. While she has been floated as a potential presidential candidate, speculation is also abound that she could run for governor in her home state of California next year. Her decision will be critical for each of those races, as polls suggest she could be a leading candidate in either election. Still, not all Democrats are on board with Harris, as many believe she lost a winnable race against Trump last year. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025, in Los Angeles, To Know California voters are leaning toward supporting Harris if she runs for governor next year, but may in the state are considering supporting other candidates, according to the new University of California Irvine poll released Wednesday. Harris led the pack with 24 percent support, followed by businessman Rick Caruso, a moderate Democrat who ran for Los Angeles mayor in 2022 and has not said for sure he plans to run. Nine percent said they plan to vote for Caruso. Former Representative Katie Porter, a progressive who represented an Orange County swing district in Congress, placed third with six percent. Republican Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff and coroner, and former Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa each received support from four percent of voters. Former President Joe Biden's Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, both Democrats, and Republican Kyle Langford, had two percent support in the poll. Forty percent said they weren't sure who they would support. Jon Gould, dean of UC Irvine's School of Social Ecology and director of the UCI-OC Poll, told Newsweek it is "interesting to see a candidate who isn't announced that much farther up on her rivals." "But, what's curious is why she is preferred," Gould said. "True, she has a +11 net favorability rating, but she is also much better known than any other candidate. Only 5 percent of the electorate doesn't know her, whereas almost half of potential voters are unfamiliar with the next closest candidate. So, if she were to jump in, she would start as the prohibitive favorite, but there is plenty of room for others to successfully compete with her." If Harris jumps into the race, the field would likely narrow "pretty quickly," he said. Her biggest challenge would be to turn "soft support" into a "firm backing," as well as to explain why she wants to be the state's governor. If she decides not to run, the race would be "wide open," and whoever would have the funds to define themselves to votes and become more widely known would have a "real opportunity," Gould said. The pollster conducted two separate surveys to collect this data. The first surveyed 2,143 California adults from May 27 to June 2, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. The second surveyed 2,000 California adults from May 29 to June 4, 2025 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Harris hasn't said for sure whether she is leaning toward running for governor or president—or some other option. A recent poll conducted by Emerson College about potential candidates in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary found that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg would have a lead over Harris, while 13 percent leaned toward Harris in the poll of 1,000 registered voters from June 24 to June 25, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. A Morning Consult poll released in June showed Harris maintaining a stronger lead, however, with 34 percent saying they planned to support her. Seven percent said they would vote for Buttigieg, while 11 percent said they leaned toward California Governor Gavin Newsom. Some candidates have already begun attacks against Harris. Villaraigosa in May accused Harris of being involved in a cover up of Biden's health, stating that "those in power were intentionally complicit or told outright lies in a systematic cover-up to keep Joe Biden's mental decline from the public." What People Are Saying Kamala Harris, speaking about her plans earlier this year while visiting Los Angeles sites impacted by wildfires: "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...I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground." The University of California Irvine poll report reads: "A year ahead of the primary election, 40% of Californians are unsure of their choice for Governor. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is in the lead, having not yet announced whether she will run, but even if she secures just 24% support from potential voters, and only half of Democrats. That said, there is no other candidate within striking distance." What Happens Next Harris said during a pre-Oscars party earlier this year she plans to make a decision about whether to run for governor by the end of the summer. The primary in California is set to be held on June 2, 2026. The Cook Political Report classifies the race as Safe Democrat.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nationwide tour convenes Black leaders and activists, aims to help people in Detroit stop
An 11-city tour convening Black leaders, community organizers and resources at a time of rapid political and economic change has arrived in Detroit. Dubbed the State of the People POWER Tour, the national campaign kicked off this April in Atlanta, Georgia and organizers are on a mission to "center Black voices, organize, strategize and build with Black communities across the country," according to a news release. The packed agenda for the two-day event in Detroit, which began May 21, features religious, business, nonprofit and political leaders — such as the Detroit Branch NAACP's Rev. Wendell Anthony and former NBA star Jalen Rose — alongside mental health, food and utility help for attendees. "When you go into communities and violence is running rampant and people are being harmed by their own neighbors, that is a problem. When people can't put groceries on the table, afford to eat and feed their children, where working a job like a teacher in Atlanta who we met, who teaches our students every single day, but didn't have anywhere to lay her head at night, that is a problem," said Angela Rye, an attorney and part of the national committee for the State of the People POWER Tour. "So, our issues are wide and disparate. They cross economic boundaries and zip code, and we are here to stand together, to help to fill in the gap, to stand in the gap for those who are in greatest need." The Detroit stop was expected to include food distribution at the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy and a community resource fair offering housing assistance, health screenings and information about jobs and voting. Panelists were expected to discuss a range of topics from Black economic power in Detroit to community violence intervention. The event was also slated to feature workshops on health, renters' rights and small business support. "We want to encourage and empower our families and our communities, and we want to bring and increase that village where we can lean on one another and be able to have those necessary resources, not when it's convenient for politicians or leaders when they need our vote, but on a regular basis," said Zsa Zsa C. Hubbard, a native Detroiter and one of the local volunteer organizers for the event. "Our city, we have very minimum resources, but we got a lot of great organizations, and the people need to know about the boots on the ground, the grassroot individuals that are actually doing the work, knocking on doors, feeding babies, helping seniors." Rev. Cindy Rudolph of Oak Grove AME in Detroit kicked off the gathering in prayer before railing against President Donald Trump's policies from immigration to tariffs. 'Beloved, what we are witnessing is nothing short of ungodly,' she said. 'We are in a mess,' said Virgie Rollins, the Chair of the Democratic National Committee's Black Caucus. She and other speakers told the crowd they are living through dangerous times and urged them to step up their political activism. Detroit, organizers say, is a "beacon of hope and base for Black activism," with its history of iconic moments during the Civil Rights Movement, such as the Detroit Walk to Freedom. The city, according to a news release, embodies the spirit of the nationwide tour, "fostering connection, delivering relief and advancing a shared vision for Black liberation." More: More than half of Black women surveyed in metro Detroit reported experiencing evictions More: Detroit People's Food Co-op celebrates 1 year of bringing fresh food to the community "Detroiters are resilient. We are hard workers, we are creatives, we're innovators and we're mover and shakers, and this next season in our lives, we are working together to continue to build stronger leaders," Hubbard said. "We are looking to build a stronger community. We are looking to continue to build strong Black families. We are looking to make sure that our voices are at the table, and if they're not at the table, we're going to create tables where our voices are heard and accepted." The two-day convening also features a town hall-style conversation on the "State of the People Black Paper," a policy project involving more than 100 Black scholars and organizers, covering topics from transportation and infrastructure to veteran services and entrepreneurship. "It's not about us putting ourselves on a stage and talking at people. It really is about getting involved with the community, letting folks know that we're here, especially highlighting the organizations that already do this work every single day, and letting them know that these folks have been here, and we're trying to ensure that they have an opportunity to be connected to them," Rye said. The State of the People POWER Tour is taking place at Wayne County Community College's northwest campus in Detroit and wraps up at 6:30 p.m., May 22. For more information, go to The national tour runs until June 15, and caps off with a national convening on Juneteenth, according to its website. The coalition has so far toured several cities, from Durham, North Carolina to Newark, New Jersey. Next up: Jackson, Mississippi. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ Follow her on X: @NushratR. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Nationwide tour convenes Black leaders and activists in Detroit
