No one excited about Kamala Harris potential gubernatorial run, say California donors
Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ prospective gubernatorial bid is not striking up much excitement among Democratic fundraisers in California, Politico reported Friday.The outlet spoke to multiple Democratic Party donors in California to see how they felt about Harris possibly running for governor.So far, her interest in exploring a gubernatorial run in the state following her 2024 presidential election loss hasn’t enthused many.“She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped,” one Southern California fundraiser told Politico.Harris, who lost November’s election to President Donald Trump, is seriously considering a 2026 bid to succeed term-limited Gov.
Gavin Newsom, D-Calif.A source close to Harris told Fox News Digital in March that she has told allies she will decide by the end of summer on whether to launch a gubernatorial campaign.The two potential options for Harris are launching a gubernatorial run next year in her home state or seeking the presidency again in 2028.
Extremely early polls in the next Democratic Party presidential nomination race — which are heavily reliant on name recognition at this point — indicate that the former vice president holds a significant lead over other potential White House contenders.“In interviews, several major donors in the state told POLITICO they fear her reemergence as a candidate would re-open still-fresh wounds from her defeat in 2024,” the outlet reported.“Some harbor lingering frustration about how her billion-dollar campaign juggernaut ended in debt and want assurances she would have a clear plan to win the governor’s mansion.”Mather Martin, a party fundraiser from San Francisco who worked for multiple Harris campaigns, told Politico, “There was more enthusiasm at first” for Harris’ run.
However, he added, “I think it waned a bit.”Another donor who gave a six-figure donation to Harris’ presidential campaign last year told the outlet they had found the ...