Kamala Harris has been lying low since her defeat in the presidential race, unwinding with family and senior aides in Hawaii before heading back to the nation’s capital.

But privately, the vice president has been instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open — whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years. As Harris has repeated in phone calls, “I am staying in the fight.”

She is expected to explore those and other possible paths forward with family members over the winter holiday season, according to five people in the Harris inner circle, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics. Her deliberations follow an extraordinary four months in which Harris went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to the top of the ticket, reenergizing Democrats before ultimately crashing on election night.

“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”

  • Hugin@lemmy.world
    231·
    7 days ago

    A mediocre candidate who lost the 2020 primary badly and only got the VP spot because she was buddies with Bidens dead son. She them went on to lose badly to Trump.

    I voted for her but it was really a vote for Not Trump. Hopefully this the last we hear of her.

  • very_well_lost@lemmy.worldEnglish
    33·
    8 days ago

    She’s welcome to try, but no universe exists in which Harris wins the Democratic primary. So unless the exact set of circumstance that led to her candidacy in 2024 are somehow repeated (fat chance), she has no path to the presidency.

  • circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org
    40·
    7 days ago

    Yeah, no. She’s no longer a viable candidate.

    But I’m sure the DNC will think differently, which is one more reason why this timeline is the worst.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
    146·
    8 days ago

    Hey don’t you worry about it… In the next three point five years you’ll see an amazing growth and national prominence in the incredible third parties our “lefty” friends have been promoting as they have the time and inclination to do the hard work it takes to become a presidential contender.

    Next Presidential Election when they’re all like “I refuse to vote for either party” it’ll be because [insert party name here] has been on fire in all 50 states and is ready to take down the duopoly! Go get 'em! Everyone hates the Dems, let’s carpe the fuck outta this diem! Yeah!

    Or, y’know, just bitch about everything for 3.5 years, do nothing, and fuck it up again. Whatever. I doubt there’ll be an election anyway so - pressure’s off!

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
    8924·
    8 days ago

    Harris’ political options are closed.

    Harris managed to convince the DNC to forgo a primary and annoint them and then they lost the fucking election.

    End.

    • Eldritch@lemmy.worldEnglish
      203·
      8 days ago

      You got any sources for that? When Biden stepped down initially they were looking for who would replace him. His vice president / running mate was an obvious choice. I don’t think I ever read anything about her trying to convince them. More then trying to convince her.

      • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
        619·
        8 days ago

        General observations of the universe. There were discussions about having a snap primary and then suddenly Harris was the nominee.

        I can’t say for certain if she pursued that end herself but even if she wasn’t the primary architect she consented to forgo a primary.

        Edit: We’re all observers to what happened - the outcome was predictable given how the DNC has operated… how is this surprising?

        • Eldritch@lemmy.worldEnglish
          94·
          8 days ago

          So you don’t have any actual evidence of your claims. Just biased perceptions.

          And no none of this is surprising. What would have been surprising is if anyone individually or collectively took any responsibility for this outcome. Spreading distortions and misinformation. Helping a fascist win.

          I have no real love for liberals. But all the so called lefties that felt comfortable not showing solidarity against actual fascism. Because things weren’t perfect. Get far less. Don’t get me wrong, as someone with a strong anarchist Dejacque Libertarian lean. I’m not here to force anyone to vote even. Or vote for anyone specifically. But I have no qualms about pointing out people disingenuously heaping undeserved criticism on liberals. While failing to acknowledge and learn the lessons of their own mistakes.

          • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
            58·
            8 days ago

            I do have evidence - I saw it happen in real time like most of us did. Demanding sources for common knowledge reeks of JAQing off.

            • Eldritch@lemmy.worldEnglish
              74·
              8 days ago

              Post them. Your reluctance to along with the accusations reeks of projection and desperation. Which is really sad as I’m not trying to defend liberals. They fucked up just like you did. And are refusing to learn the lesson just as you are. And you both will repeat the same mistakes unironically while everyone suffers.

        • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
          41·
          8 days ago

          General observations of the universe.

          I know a guy says shit like that whenever we call him on some really obvious bullshit. Its lefte biased against this, and I’m sorry for assuming you’re completely without basis.

    • Loduz_247@lemmy.world
      241·
      8 days ago

      -Former VPs

      -From California

      -Lost an election < You are here

      -Ran for California Governor

      -Ran for the presidency again

    • aramis87@fedia.io
      266·
      8 days ago

      Tbf, when Biden dropped out, there really wasn’t a lot of time to organize 50 primaries according to each state’s election rules and then get the result onto the general ballot in time for those deadlines.

  • Lemmywings@lemmy.cafeEnglish
    401·
    8 days ago

    I could be wrong but I think she’s done for good. She didn’t do a good enough job obviously, and advisers helped her to fail.

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
      3210·
      8 days ago

      Jesus could have run against trump, healing the sick and forgiving loans left and right, and still the misinformationskiy would have overpowered him.

      More than half of Americans are not literate enough to read medicine warning labels.

      Its not Harris who failed the people. The problem started a decade ago.

      Secede already.

      • lobut@lemmy.ca
        162·
        8 days ago

        Yup. As many failures as Harris has had, it doesn’t come close to the amount of insanity it takes to justify a vote for Trump. Around half of the American voters have failed America and to me, there’s no one else to blame.

      • TriflingToad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        7 days ago

        More than half of Americans are not literate enough to read medicine warning labels.

        to be fair what the fuck is an antihistamine containing hydroxyzine

        • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          8·
          7 days ago

          what the fuck is an antihistamine

          Anti-allergy drug

          Hydroxyzine

          Histamine H1 Inhibitor, but what it does is a lot like an anesthetic

          So it’s an anti-allergy medication that also gives immediate relief from allergy symptoms

          I’d hope most people who passed high school science could answer what an antihistamine is, and be able to google hydroxyzine, but yeah no I shouldn’t