Kamala Harris Fails to Garner Strong Public Support for California Governor Bid — 36% Indifferent, 22% Supportive

Kamala Harris Fails to Garner Strong Public Support for California Governor Bid — 36% Indifferent, 22% Supportive
Former Vice President also weighing another presidential run

California, April 15, 2025 — Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is facing lukewarm reception among California’s political elites regarding her potential candidacy for governor. A recent survey shows that while some general voters are somewhat interested, the state’s policymakers remain largely unenthusiastic.

According to a joint poll by Politico and UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center, 36% of policy influencers said they are “indifferent” to Harris running for governor. Only 4% said they would be “outraged,” while 22% said they were “mostly excited” and 20% found the idea “irritating.”

Although Harris has yet to officially announce a gubernatorial bid, she has pledged to remain active in politics. After losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, she is also considering a run in the 2028 presidential race.

Mixed Reaction from Voters

Among the general electorate, reactions were more positive. About 33% of registered California voters said they would feel “joyful” if Harris ran. However, support among independent voters was significantly lower — 21% said they felt “hopeless” and 26% said they were “irritated” by the prospect.

Racially Divided Responses

• Black voters: 35% felt “joyful,” and 38% were “mostly excited”

• Latino voters: 19% felt “hopeless”

• Asian voters: 18% felt “irritated”

Jack Citrin, a political science professor at UC Berkeley, remarked, “It’s somewhat surprising to see such low enthusiasm among Latino voters. But we know from the general election that Latino support shifted more toward Trump compared to 2020 or 2016.”

After President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race following a poor debate performance, Harris became the Democratic nominee. However, she failed to generate widespread enthusiasm among independent voters.

Continued Criticism of the Trump Administration

In a recent social media post, Harris wrote:
“Americans are still standing up and protesting as the administration fast-tracks the implementation of Project 2025. The voices of working people will always be louder than those of unelected billionaires.”

On April 7, she shared a video clip of a speech saying:
“I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere. Fear can be contagious. But so can courage.”

Since the 2024 election, Harris has kept a relatively low public profile, unlike her running mate — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — who has made several public appearances and given numerous interviews.

Conclusion

If Kamala Harris decides to run for California governor, she will need to craft a strong political strategy to win over not just the voters, but also skeptical policy influencers. With pockets of indifference and opposition, connecting with people’s real-life concerns and demonstrating decisive leadership will be key to gaining broader support.