Former Vice President Kamala Harris has hinted at the possibility of pursuing a presidential run in 2028, which would mark her third attempt to claim the presidency.
In a recent interview with BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg, Harris expressed her open-mindedness about a future bid, stating, “I am not done,” and affirming the possibility of one day becoming president.
Harris emphasized her commitment to public service, saying, “I have lived my entire career as a life of service and it’s in my bones.”
This statement is the most definitive indication yet that Harris might consider another presidential campaign, following her loss to former President Donald Trump nearly a year ago. Despite the speculation, she noted that she has not yet reached a decision.
In an interview with MSNBC last month, the former vice president said she was not focused on 2028.
“That’s not my focus right now. That’s not my focus at all, it really isn’t,” Harris said, adding that she instead wanted to use her time to help vulnerable Democrats hold onto their seats during the midterm elections.
The former vice president also reportedly weighed a bid for California governor. Harris announced in July that she would not seek to replace term limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), who has also been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Speculation around her next moves has only been exacerbated since last month’s release of her memoir “107 Days” which detailed Harris’s brief 2024 campaign after former President Biden withdrew from the race, and her subsequent media tour.
In one excerpt, she suggested Biden’s decision to run for reelection amounted to “recklessness” and that he “got tired.” She also outlines her thought process behind picking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to join the ticket as her running mate and includes analysis around her uphill battle against Trump after Biden stepped aside.
The book has received mixed reviews from many seen as potential allies, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Many Democrats have aired frustration with Harris over some of the revelations in her memoir, arguing that it could cause division at the worst possible time for the party.
While recent polling has shown support waning for the former vice president, Harris brushed off the concerns on Saturday.
“If I listened to polls I would have not run for my first office, or my second office and I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here,” she told Kuenssberg.
During her book tour, Harris also lashed out at the Trump administration. Earlier this month, she condemned many of the president’s executive actions since returning to the Oval Office and argued that Trump lacks “guardrails.”
In the BBC interview, she elaborated on the comment, making reference to indictments of his perceived political rivals, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, former national security adviser John Bolton and former FBI Director James Comey.
“He said he would weaponize the Department of Justice and he has done exactly that,” she said Saturday, while also pointing to the brief suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“You look at what has happened in terms of how he has weaponized, for example, federal agencies going around after political satirists…,” she continued later. “His skin is so thin he couldn’t endure criticism from a joke and attempted to shut down an entire media organization in the process.”
The full BBC interview is set to air Sunday at 5 p.m. EDT.
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