Former Vice President Kamala Harris would be the clear Democratic frontrunner in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race if she decides to run, according to recent polling. A survey by Emerson College Polling, Inside California Politics, and The Hill found that Harris garnered support from 57 percent of Democratic primary voters in the state.
Trailing far behind was former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who exited the House for an unsuccessful Senate bid last year, with 9 percent support. Former California State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D) and current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (D) each received 4 percent, while 17 percent of respondents remained undecided.
Since her unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign, speculation has mounted about Harris’s next move. Some view California’s governorship as a natural step, given her deep roots in the state and extensive political experience as a former state attorney general and U.S. senator. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is term-limited, is expected to set his sights on national politics.
When asked about a potential gubernatorial run, Harris dismissed the speculation, emphasizing her focus on supporting her community.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days. 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,” she told reporters in California.
“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.”
Some speculate that the former vice president may set her sights on another run for the White House in 2028. In her absence from the gubernatorial race, the poll showed Porter’s support rising to 21 percent, with Villaraigosa at 9 percent and Kounalakis at 5 percent. Notably, a substantial 45 percent of Democratic primary voters remained undecided.
“If Vice President Harris enters the Democratic Primary, she would start as the clear favorite,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Without Harris in the race, the primary is wide open.”
The poll, conducted on February 10-11, surveyed 1,000 registered voters in California and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. Among the 469 Democratic primary voters polled, the margin of error was 4.5 percentage points.
