Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday that she will not run for California governor in 2026, giving her long-standing speculation about her political future. In an official statement, Harris said he spent the past six months looking back at the “best way to do it.” [her] Continue to fight for the Americans and advance their values and ideals [she holds] Dear. “
From his time in court to the Senate floor and the White House, Harris has built a career within the political system. But her latest message suggests a change in strategy.
“We must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking,” she wrote, “we committed to the same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.”
While retreating from the governor’s race, Harris made it clear that she has not left politics. She plans to campaign for Democrats across the country, suggesting that details about her next chapter are on the horizon.
Her announcement comes as Democrats face urgent questions about whether to fully defend transgender lives amid the rise in attacks. California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently been called “deeply unfair” because trans athletes are taking part in women’s sports. Former Transport Secretary Pete Buttigigue repeated the same framing, saying “the most reasonable people agree that it is a serious issue of fairness.” These are not harmless statements. They are surrenders to the anti-trans stories that exist as controversial and constitute the right to participate.
These statements of the two most visible numbers of the party are also not outliers. They reflect a broader trend that Democrat leaders are pandas at the center rather than hedging their language or standing firm for the dignity and rights of trans people. Harris did not mention the trance issue in her statement, but her records are mixed together. She has caused harm in the past, but has shown signs of growth and has been a more public supporter of trans rights in recent years. Still, the iconic gestures are no longer sufficient. The real question now is, what’s coming next?
Trans Americans and our allies are taking great care as Harris, Newsom and Buttigieg are likely to appear as competitors in the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. We are tired of being treated as a responsibility, distraction, or a tip for political negotiations. We are not a wedge problem.
We are voters. We are organizers. We are humans. And we deserve to know which of these potential leaders really fight for us. Not only when it’s politically safe, but when it matters most.
Post Kamala Harris opts out of California. The governor’s race first appeared on the Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News.
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