Kamala Harris told a crowd in Detroit she still has not decided whether to run for president again in 2028, choosing instead to focus Democrats on this year’s midterms.
Story Snapshot
- Harris told Detroit voters she has not decided on a 2028 presidential run.
- She says the midterms matter more right now than her own political future.
- Governor Gavin Newsom says he will skip 2028 if Harris decides to run.
- Harris used the Michigan trip to endorse Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Harris Repeats Her Now-Familiar Answer
Former Vice President Kamala Harris stood before Detroit voters this month and gave the same answer she has given for weeks. She has not decided whether she will seek the White House in 2028. Harris told the crowd that the midterms need to come first, warning that nothing about 2028 will matter if Democrats do not win in November.
Harris gave nearly identical answers in a September interview with Associated Press reporters, saying flatly, “I haven’t decided. Sincerely. I have not decided. I may or I may not.” She has stuck to that script through months of questions, refusing to close the door while also refusing to open it.
The Same Line, Over and Over
On a podcast with retired soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Harris was asked again about 2028. She gave the same non-answer, then pivoted straight to campaign talking points. “Midterms, midterms, midterms, full-time occupying my thoughts, my mind and my work,” she said, adding that “’28 doesn’t matter if we don’t win ’26”.
During that same podcast appearance, Harris accused Republicans of “cheating” ahead of the midterms, pointing to GOP-led redistricting and voter ID laws as proof. That claim landed hard with conservatives who see basic ballot security measures, not political tricks, behind those state-level election law changes.
Newsom Waits While the Field Stays Frozen
California Governor Gavin Newsom has already said he will not run for president in 2028 if Harris does. That declaration effectively freezes one of the biggest names in the Democratic Party until Harris makes up her mind, leaving other ambitious Democrats guessing about their own timelines.
A person close to Harris told Politico she “hasn’t decided, and she hasn’t ruled it out,” adding that no smart strategist would tell her to close the door this early. Harris has spent recent months mostly at her home in Southern California, making calls to supporters and planning fall campaign stops without tipping her hand. She rounded out her Michigan visit by endorsing Abdul El-Sayed for the state’s open Senate seat, a sign she still wants a hand in shaping the party’s future no matter what she decides about her own.
Sources:
wfmd.com, yahoo.com, modeldiplomat.com, qatar.georgetown.edu, mixvale.com.br
