Kamala Harris Faces Resistance From Democrats Amidst 2028 Presidential Ambitions
Several Democratic candidates are publicly distancing themselves from the former vice president, while new polling suggests fading enthusiasm for a potential 2028 run.
As the midterm elections approach, some Democratic candidates in swing states are expressing a desire to campaign without former Vice President Kamala Harris, with a few explicitly stating they do not seek her assistance. This sentiment is echoed in recent polling which indicates a decline in enthusiasm for a potential 2028 presidential bid by Harris.
Sources report that candidates in states such as Iowa and Kansas have publicly distanced themselves from Harris. Rob Sand, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Iowa, told Politico, "Let's move on. We need some new leadership." Similarly, Adam Hamilton, a Kansas Senate nominee, stated that he needs to appeal to Republican voters whose "worldview may be a bit different than Kamala Harris."
In Texas and Arizona, Democratic nominees also indicated to The New York Times that they had no immediate plans to campaign with Harris. This comes as new polling from a UC Berkeley Citrin Center-POLITICO poll shows that support for a third Harris presidential campaign is diminishing, even in her home state of California. Only 28% of California voters expressed excitement about a 2028 run, a decrease of 13 points since March.
Within the Democratic party itself, 55% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters stated they would not be excited about Harris running again, with only 10% believing she has a better chance than California Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom himself commented to CNN that he does not believe Harris will run, but he would defer to her if she entered the 2028 race.
While some Democrats view Harris as a potent draw for the party's base, particularly in mobilizing Black voters, others perceive her as an unwelcome association with the current administration and a reminder of past electoral defeats. These mixed perceptions are playing out as Harris undertakes campaign appearances in key states.
However, in Michigan, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed welcomed Harris to Detroit. El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director, believes Harris's visit could help unite Democratic constituencies that were fractured during the 2024 election cycle over the conflict in Gaza. He told The Associated Press, "We're building an electoral coalition here."
Harris and El-Sayed were scheduled to participate in discussions on Black maternal health and a voting-rights forum with the local NAACP chapter. El-Sayed suggested that Harris's visit provides an opportunity to mend divisions, particularly with Black voters who felt that Arab American voters had not sufficiently supported her against President Trump. He told MS NOW, "She understood just how frustrating that moment was and the challenges with the Biden-era policy toward Gaza going into 2024. This is an opportunity for us to come together."
Despite the reported snubs, Harris has stated her support for the candidates she is campaigning with. "I support them in doing whatever they need to do to win," she told MS NOW. She is also scheduled to campaign in Nevada with gubernatorial nominee Aaron Ford and in Georgia with Senator Jon Ossoff, as well as with two congressional candidates in California.
A fundraising document from July suggested Harris could be a valuable surrogate for midterms, but she has publicly maintained her focus on the upcoming elections. "Right now, midterms, midterms, midterms," Harris recently stated on a podcast.