Poll: Kamala Harris would be top candidate in California’s 2026 gubernatorial election — if she runs

After a tough election campaign, is Kamala Harris ready for another one?

Harris hasn’t announced any plans, but a new poll asks Californians if they would consider Harris if she were were to run for governor in 2026.

“She not only has a very high level of name recognition, but a great deal of residual support,” USC Annenberg School of Communication professor Dan Schnur said. “However, that support has not been tested in a statewide race against another formidable Democrat in a long time.”

The poll, by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, found that among the potential candidates, former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter leads with 13%; Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is at 12%; Republican State Sen. Brian Dahle is at 11%; current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is at 7%; and former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is also at 7%.

When asked about Harris, she jumps to the top with 33% of respondents saying very likely to support her and 13% saying somewhat likely.

“I would view these numbers as reasonably encouraging for the Vice President,” UC Berkeley IGS Professor of Political Science Eric Schickler said. “It suggests that the race, with her out of the race, is really wide open.”

Harris was the San Francisco County district attorney then moved on to statewide office as attorney general. She was a U.S. senator for four years when she became vice president. Harris has not said what happens next. A run for governor would likely not be easy.

“If she were to run, I mean, there certainly are a number of formidable Democratic candidates in the race, and so she would have to you know, be ready, for you know, some serious opposition within the party,” Schickler said.

If she decides to run, Harris has to make a decision quickly.

“This race will be underway by early next year, and while she has more time available, it’s not an indefinite amount of time,” Schnur said. “Even while she’s resting up and recuperating from a very difficult presidential campaign, she can’t afford to put off this decision for too long.”