Kamala Harris has gone from leading the Democratic ticket to a campaign trail to a campaign trail pariah in her party’s competitive races.
The shift is especially stark in Iowa.
Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for Iowa governor, made it clear at the state fair when asked whether he wanted Ms. Harris to campaign for him. “No thanks,” he told Politico. “Let’s move on. We need some new leadership.”
Josh Turek, Iowa’s Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, offered a similar response — a simple “No,” delivered with a smile. And former Rep. Mary Pelota, Alaska’s Democratic candidate for Senate, recently distanced herself after Ms. Harris’ team sent out a fundraising request on her behalf.
It’s left Ms. Harris in a tricky spot — a former nominee with national name recognition but limited appeal on the trail. Her compressed 2024 campaign, launched in Democrats’ scramble to replace President Biden, elevated her profile but did not settle questions about her long‑term role in the party.
“107 Days,” her memoir recounting that sprint, offered flashes of frustration with Mr. Biden’s staff, foreign governments and the media, but it did little to clarify what she intends to do next.
Jeff Link, an Iowa‑based Democratic consultant, said Ms. Harris has a tough road ahead.
“The brand of any past nominee is a challenge,” Mr. Link said. “We need a new direction, new leadership.”
Since the loss to Mr. Trump, the 61‑year‑old Harris has moved cautiously.
She passed on a run for governor of California and has offered only guarded answers about 2028, fueling speculation about whether she will attempt a political comeback.
Her “maybe-maybe-not” response when asked about another presidential bid captured both her hesitation and the party’s uncertainty about how — if at all — she fits into its future. She told BBC late last year, “I am not done.” And in April, she told Rev. Al Sharpton she “might” run.
“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “The status quo is not working.”
Allies say she has time to decide.
If she runs, the good news for Ms. Harris is that the Democratic National Committee has opted to kick off the nomination race in South Carolina, not Iowa.
Ms. Harris, whose heritage is half Jamaican and half South Asian, could benefit from the state’s large Black population, which helped revive President Biden’s flailing 2020 bid.
As Democrats look ahead to 2028, Ms. Harris’ indecision has become part of a broader recalibration inside the party.
With no clear front-runner and no consensus on what the party’s next era should look like, Democrats are moving cautiously. Potential 2028 contenders are testing messages and quietly gauging donor interest.
Still, Ms. Harris leads the pack in the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls. She’s followed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mr. Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez of New York. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia round out the top contenders.
Some Democrats have waved off questions about Ms. Harris’ future by saying 2028 is a far way off. Others say her experience and name recognition make her a natural part of the early 2028 conversation.
But the energy in the party is on the far left, and many Democrats long for a new generation of leaders. They say the party needs to move past familiar faces and elevate leaders who can speak to voters who have drifted away.
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