Poll shows Kamala Harris as frontrunner for California governorship

(THE NATIONAL PULSE) – Vice President Kamala Harris‘s political career may not have ended with her landslide defeat by President-elect Donald J. Trump in the 2024 election. A recent survey of California voters suggests Harris would hold a significant advantage if she opts to run for governor of the state in 2026.

Nearly half of voters surveyed say they would likely support Harris in a crowded gubernatorial race, according to a poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Among Democrats, who double the number of registered Republicans, 72 percent expressed potential support for Harris, compared to eight percent of Republicans and 38 percent of independents.

Harris’s commanding lead in a hypothetical 2026 California gubernatorial race is likely partly due to her near-universal name recognition and elevated voter interest following the 2024 presidential race. “Nearly all voters in this state have an opinion of her, and that’s really the big advantage that she brings to an early poll,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of UC Berkeley’s IGS Poll. “None of the other candidates are as well known to the voting public.”