Report Details Harris Possible Plans Moving Forward
As reports swirl that Kamala Harris is considering a 2026 run for California governor, one group is unusually optimistic: Republicans. In a deep-blue state where GOP prospects often wither on arrival, Harris’s potential entry into the race has some on the right downright giddy. And it's not hard to see why.
According to a CBS News report, Harris is weighing three options: a third run for the presidency, a gubernatorial campaign in her home state, or stepping away from elected politics altogether. Of those paths, her possible return to California’s state-level politics has ignited fresh buzz—and fresh opposition.
Despite winning two previous statewide races, Republicans are betting that the Kamala Harris of 2026 won’t be the same political force she once was. They’re banking on high name recognition, low favorability, and a national track record that’s turned even some Democrats cold.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco summed up GOP enthusiasm with a blunt critique: “She’s the perfect example of everything Californians are sick of—soft on crime, blind to our problems, and more focused on DC than Main Street.” In other words, she embodies the status quo, and that’s the exact weakness Republicans hope to exploit.
Longtime Republican strategist Kevin Spillane warned that even a Harris victory could be pyrrhic: “She has a chance to be embarrassed even if she wins.” Why? Because her lack of momentum and growing perception as a failed national figure may diminish the impact of what should be a safe win in California.
Even Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator and longtime critic of one-party dominance in California, sees opportunity: “Kamala Harris is the one who least represents change.”
While California remains a Democratic stronghold—with 59% voting for Harris over Trump in 2024—there are warning signs. Harris underperformed Biden’s 2020 results statewide, and Trump managed to flip purple counties and gain ground in deep-blue areas.
This isn’t a GOP fantasyland, but it’s also not the Democratic firewall it once was. That shifting terrain, coupled with Harris’s polarizing image and her perceived lack of political accomplishments, has Republicans sharpening their strategy.
As Republican consultant Dave Gilliard put it: “Money is the biggest obstacle… but [Harris] could attract donors from around the country who might be interested in taking another pound of flesh.” In other words, her candidacy could galvanize national Republican fundraising for a state-level campaign that typically struggles to gain national traction.
Kamala Harris has long relied on a résumé that checks every box: former District Attorney, California Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and now Vice President. But Republicans argue that experience hasn’t translated to effective leadership—on crime, border security, or public confidence.
“She’s got the résumé,” said GOP strategist Kevin Madden, “but so do a lot of people who’ve lost. What she doesn’t have is momentum.”
That lack of forward drive, combined with a Democratic electorate increasingly restless with rising crime, housing costs, and faltering infrastructure, could make her a surprisingly vulnerable candidate—even in blue California.