Kamala Harris Hits Midterm Campaign Trail as Some Democrats Tell Former VP to Stay Away

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is stepping back onto the campaign trail ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, but some Democratic candidates are making it clear they are not interested in having her campaign alongside them.

Harris has begun appearing in key states as Democrats battle for control of Congress in November. Her schedule includes stops in Michigan, Nevada and Georgia, all states that could also play an important role if she decides to make another run for president in 2028.

The former vice president traveled to Michigan this week to campaign alongside Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Harris joined El-Sayed for events in Detroit and urged Democrats to focus on the upcoming midterms before turning their attention toward the next presidential election.

Asked directly whether another presidential campaign was under consideration, Harris said she had not made a decision. She told voters that the outcome of the 2026 elections must come first, leaving open the possibility that she could seek the Democratic presidential nomination again two years from now.

But Harris is receiving a much different reception from some Democratic candidates elsewhere in the country. Iowa gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand rejected the idea of campaigning with her, saying, “No thanks,” and calling for new leadership within the Democratic Party.

Barry Goodman, a Democratic National Committee member from Michigan who previously raised money for both Joe Biden and Harris, has also questioned whether Harris should seek the presidency again. Goodman said he believes Harris has “run her course” and that another campaign would not be the right direction for the country.

Other Democrats are welcoming Harris. El-Sayed has defended her appearance in Michigan as an opportunity to bring different parts of the Democratic coalition together, while Harris is also expected to campaign in Georgia for Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.

Harris remains one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable national figures after serving four years as vice president and becoming the party’s presidential nominee in 2024. She ultimately lost that election to President Trump, including defeats across the major battleground states that determined the outcome.

Her return to campaigning is inevitably fueling speculation about 2028. Harris has not formally announced another presidential campaign, and several of her former senior advisers reportedly believe she may ultimately decide against running again.

For now, Harris is presenting her travels as an effort to help Democrats in the 2026 midterms. But the contrasting reactions from Democratic candidates show the complicated position she occupies inside the party: welcomed as a campaign surrogate in some competitive races while being publicly rejected in others.