Harris’s Hesitant Hints at 2028 – A Comedy in the Making?
A source close to Kamala Harris has vaguely stated that ‘all options are on the table’, trying to downplay the implications of her reluctance to fight for the California governor role. Many in the Democratic party, however, see this as an indistinct signal of a potential Presidential campaign in 2028. This comes at a time when many of Harris’s own party members are looking towards a future where she’s no longer a defining figure. As myopic as Harris’s plans may seem, there are already several ambitious political players poised to eclipse both Harris and former President Joe Biden.
Ms. Harris, the former vice president, might have the advantage of recognizability and a stronger fund-raising network. But her past, especially the sorry spectacle of the 2024 campaign has left a bitter taste in the mouth of her co-party members. Given that she’s 60 years of age, there’s no argument about her eligibility to run again. However, for a party that is desperately striving to reconstruct its image after a second defeat from Trump, and meditating over new ways to rebuild rapport with the working-class electorate, Harris seems to be an ill-fitting choice.
Before Harris declined the chance to run for governorship, over half a dozen individuals attempted to dissuade the public from making assumptions about her future political plans. Indeed, she might be leading in some of the premature primary polling for 2028, but political pundits suggest this is more due to her familiarity than anything else. It’s also worth noting that this fame is not necessarily a positive thing- recall, after all, the trouble her previous national campaign ran into.
Should she decide to run, Harris would create a curious predicament where several of the candidates she screened to be her running mate and the man she eventually chose could turn out to be her primary competitors. It seems unlikely that any of these potential challengers would opt out just because Harris is running again. California Governor Gavin Newsom, long a Harris associate, has for months been behaving like someone poised for the national stage.
Dozens of tapes are available of high-ranking Democrats endorsing Harris for president last year. Yet, even factoring this inertia, Harris would have to grapple with her history of backing Biden as his clarity seemed to falter. Throughout Biden’s bid for re-election, there was little seen of Harris’s individuality or a clear distinction in their policy positions.
Many ambitious Democrats believe Harris was hindered by the excessive brevity of her own campaign. Rumours are abounding that her decision to not step into the gubernatorial race was a impulsive one, made before the self-imposed August 1 deadline, primarily because her heart wasn’t really in it. After two decades in public office, Harris seems to be considering a break – a move that could actually be welcomed given the party’s apparent wish for fresh faces to invigorate their national campaigns.
Harris however, has hinted at wanting to effect change from outside the political system for the time being. As she declared in the final lines of her statement, where she confirmed not running for governor, ‘I will remain in that fight’. Considering the lackluster response to much of Harris’s political journey thus far, one can only wonder what this ‘fight’ will look like and whether it will bring any significant change.
