Kamala Harris is reportedly weighing a bid for California governor, eyeing a political reset after back-to-back national defeats. According to multiple insiders, the former vice president-turned-2024 Democratic nominee has been seriously discussing the possibility of jumping into the already crowded 2026 gubernatorial race.

A source close to Harris told The Hill that the idea of running has put “a glimmer in her eyes.” They added that many in Harris’s inner circle believe the governor’s mansion in Sacramento would be a logical next step for a politician seeking redemption and relevance. “She has a lot of people in her ear telling her that it makes the most sense and she can do the most good,” one adviser said.

Still, not everyone is convinced she’ll actually make the leap. Another Democratic source reportedly pushed back on the idea, suggesting that Harris may be using the speculation as a way to stay in the spotlight without fully committing to another campaign.

Harris has imposed an internal deadline—by the end of summer—to decide whether she’ll enter the race. That decision would pit her against big-name California Democrats like former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who also served as Health and Human Services Secretary under President Biden.

The political field is already getting crowded, and Harris—despite her statewide resume—faces a steep uphill climb. Her favorability has long trailed behind other prominent California Democrats, especially in her home state. That weakness became painfully clear in prior polls, which showed her approval ratings underwater even before her disastrous 2024 White House run.

Townhall previously reported on the growing resistance to Harris’s return among California Democrats. Many voters feel she’s been disconnected from the state for years. “We haven’t really heard from her on California issues since Trump’s inauguration,” said Madison Zimmerman, a Democratic Party delegate from Shasta County. That sentiment reflects a broader frustration among the party’s grassroots activists, who view Harris as a national figure with little interest in tackling California’s most pressing challenges.

In the 2024 election, Harris secured the Democratic nomination only after President Joe Biden declined to seek reelection. Without a primary contest, she quickly took the mantle but failed to gain traction against Trump’s energized base. Her defeat marked her second failed national campaign in less than five years, following her early exit from the 2020 primary.

Now, she faces a choice: step away from electoral politics altogether or attempt a reinvention by returning to state leadership. Supporters argue that a successful governorship could help rehabilitate her national image and give her a new platform to push progressive policy. Skeptics, however, see it as an opportunistic pivot by a politician struggling to stay relevant.

Regardless of her final decision, Harris’s potential entry into the race guarantees media attention—and sharp elbows from competitors who’ve spent the last few years building grassroots support across the Golden State.

With her deadline approaching and pressure mounting from both allies and critics, Harris may soon have to decide whether she wants to rebuild in Sacramento—or fade from the political stage altogether.