Former Vice President Kamala Harris surprised many when she said she will not run for governor of California in 2026. This opens up the race to replace current Governor Gavin Newsom, and things are already heating up.
On July 30, Harris announced that she won’t seek any elected office “for now.” She said, “I love California and its people, but after a lot of thought, I have decided not to run for governor in this election.” This came just a day before she announced her new memoir called 107 Days.
After Harris’ announcement, California’s Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, decided to stop trying for governor and instead run for the job of state treasurer. She said she made this choice carefully and believes she can help California best by focusing on its finances.
Kounalakis is a good friend of Harris, and before she dropped out, she seemed to have support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi mentioned supporting Kounalakis in a recent interview.
Rick Caruso, a well-known business leader from Los Angeles, praised Kounalakis for her hard work and success. Caruso is also seen as a possible candidate for governor.
Other people interested in running for governor include former Representative Katie Porter, former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond (California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction), and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Katie Porter previously ran for U.S. Senate but didn’t make it past the primary election.
On the Republican side, Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are trying to get into the race.
So far, neither Kamala Harris nor Governor Newsom has publicly said who they support in the race. Both are also talked about as possible candidates for president in 2028.
The primary election will happen on June 2, 2026.
