There’s been some hesitance among Democratic donors regarding Kamala Harris’s potential gubernatorial run, as reported by Politico. Recently, Harris reached out to her longtime supporters while weighing the option of running for California governor in 2026. However, many donors are, well, not so eager to back her at this point. This appears to stem from ongoing concerns about the impact of President Trump’s recent defeat in the 2024 presidential election.
Mother Martin, a fundraiser based in San Francisco who has worked on Harris’s past campaigns, noted that her enthusiasm for Harris’s candidacy seems to have “declined.” She remarked, “There was more enthusiasm at first. I think it’s a bit weakened.”
An anonymous Democratic donor from California, who contributed a substantial amount to Harris’s 2024 presidential bid, told Politico that her potential run might be a reminder of the “trauma” linked to the past presidential election. He expressed frustration with the current state of affairs, saying, “Kamala reminds us that we’re in this complete storm. I think we did everything we could in that situation, but obviously, she also knew about cognitive decline.” This donor acknowledged that he wrote many checks out of fear regarding the Trump administration, but now feels disheartened by the Democrats’ trajectory.
It seems Harris is contemplating whether to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom in 2026 or seek the presidency again in 2028. However, some say she’s leaning towards running for governor. One fundraiser shared with Politico that “no one is incredibly excited” about the possibility of her candidacy.
Another insider mentioned that concerns linger around the previous election and how it all translates: “I realize that I’m just raising the entire last presidential election. She’ll still lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped.” Harris has set a deadline to make her decision about the governorship by the end of summer, as reported earlier.
Some advisors are candid about Harris’s standing, suggesting there’s no overwhelming support for her campaign. The field for the Democratic nomination already includes notable figures like former Health and Human Services Director Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and others. Both Katie Porter and Eleni Kounalakis have indicated they would withdraw if Harris enters the race.
In the 2024 election, Trump won all seven battleground states, taking nearly half the popular vote compared to Harris’s 48.3%. Harris’s decision comes in the wake of another prominent Democratic figure, Andrew Cuomo, facing a surprising defeat in his comeback attempt, highlighting the challenging landscape for Democrats.
Longtime Democratic donor Joe Cotchet remarked that Harris is indeed engaging with people in the state about her potential run, but he implies that her path will likely be fraught with hurdles.
As of now, Harris’s office hasn’t responded to requests for comment on the matter.
