Democratic party aides are reportedly exploring pathways for a political comeback for Kamala Harris, including the possibility of another run for the presidency, even as the party contends with the fallout from her decisive defeat to Donald Trump in November’s election.
While Harris has not publicly ruled out a second presidential bid, reports suggest she is also considering a run for California governor, a position currently held by Gavin Newsom until 2027. Newsom, who was once speculated as a potential presidential candidate, played a prominent role during the tumultuous summer when Joe Biden withdrew from the race against Trump—whom he defeated in 2020—and endorsed Harris as his successor.
According to The Washington Post on Monday, some Democratic aides believe that Trump’s successful defiance of political norms—overcoming a criminal conviction and other challenges to secure victory—has created a precedent for former White House candidates to make a second attempt. This, they argue, opens the door for Harris to stage a full-cycle presidential bid in 2028.
“Since Donald Trump has rewritten the rules – the norms – I don’t believe Kamala Harris or anyone should try to go with precedent, ever,” said Donna Brazile, a Harris ally, Al Gore 2000 presidential campaign manager and political commentator. “There are no rule books.”
Molly Murphy, a pollster who worked on both the Biden and Harris campaigns, told the outlet that the usual rules might not apply this time, suggesting Harris could get a second chance due to the unprecedented circumstances of this race and the mid-campaign candidate switch.
“But I don’t think it will be a given.”
The idea that Harris could make another run for the White House comes as the Democratic Party works to reframe her loss to Trump as less decisive than widely perceived. Despite losing the Electoral College 312-226 and becoming the first of three candidates to lose the popular vote to Trump, Harris ended her three-month, $1.5 billion campaign with higher approval ratings than when she began, according to the political website FiveThirtyEight.
“She is ending this race in a very different place than other nominees that have lost,” a Harris adviser told the outlet. “Her approval is higher. People were very happy with the race that she ran.”
