The Burden of Being Kamala Harris

Poll numbers have the former VP at the bottom of the barrel.

Is the former vice president planning to run again for the big office? She hasn’t announced any 2028 plans as of yet, and she may well be left out of the decision entirely. Turns out Kamala Harris is just too unlikable, and every endeavor seems to backfire spectacularly. She lost her Secret Service protection just in time for her book tour, and a new poll shows California Democrats don’t want her back. Even her home state appears ready to be “unburdened by what has been.”

A Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll of 4,950 registered voters in California, conducted online in both English and Spanish from August 11-17, showed a tepid response for the former presidential candidate. Just 50% “view her favorably” in her own state. About one-third would prefer Harris sit the next one out. They didn’t even want her to run for governor. Perhaps a position with animal control could be doable?

Kamala Harris Is Not Popular

Any political operative would cringe at her polling numbers: An Emerson College poll from April 2025 found that 50% of California voters felt Harris should not run for governor in the 2026 race, while 50% thought she should. The Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll from August, concerning a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary, showed that California Democrats prefer Governor Gavin Newsom over Harris. Newsweek conducted a separate survey, placing Harris in third place.

Let’s pile on the burden already shouldered: President Trump is having a field day with his former rival, even revoking her Secret Service detail right as she prepares for her 107 Days book tour. Trump had every right to rescind that privilege. The vice president is traditionally only under Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office.

Adding insult to injury, the online betting website Polymarket has “The Rock” – wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson – hypothetically more likely to win in 2028 than Harris. The former VP has a 5% chance of winning the 2028 nomination, while Johnson comes in at 5.6%. It is the golden boy of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who leads the pack with a 32% chance by a large margin. Behind Gavin, at 11%, is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). What a lineup. Where’s the next Jack Kennedy when you need one?

How does a candidate alienate her own base? For progressives, Harris angered many by not calling out Israel and the war in Gaza. During the campaign, she was met at every event by protesters with a catchy chant: “Kamala, Kamala, you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide!” Civil disobedience in a constitutional republic is often required, especially when peaceful. Politicians want to be leaders for the people. Yet they are simply representatives and sometimes need a wakeup call. As voters were eager to go for a younger, more energetic candidate who could articulate their ideas, they were somehow forced to settle for Harris.

During a sit-down on The View, when asked what she would change about Biden’s policies, Harris blew her answer: “There is not a thing that comes to mind in terms of – and I’ve been a part of most of the decisions that have had impact, the work that we have done.” For a new generation candidate, that was a massive mistake. She didn’t separate – even a tiny bit – from President Joe Biden’s failed policies. Biden was underwater in approval ratings, and she absorbed all that angst, setting the tone for those 107 days with just a few words. Even loyal members of the Democratic Party strayed away from Harris.

Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll, told the outlet: “She lost, which is always a negative when you’re trying to run again. It’s interesting that even after Harris bowed out of the governor’s race, most Californians don’t really think she should run for president.”

Why Not Golden State Queen?

Is the governor’s sash a step down for the former VP? She was once a fundraising dynamo, but will she be able to woo those big donors back to fund another campaign? As the de facto leader of the Democratic Party, Harris can get back in the game rather easily. But she can’t be blind to her dismal performances, lack of policy, and word salads that scared off the American electorate. Harris was the most well-known name to California voters, but she turned down the chance to rule over the entertainment industry, big tech giants, and one of the world’s largest economies. It’s a big deal. Perhaps too big a deal.