A recent survey by Inside California Politics and Emerson College found that, of 1,000 registered who voters polled, 31% reported they’d vote for the former vice president if she were to run, according to KTLA5. Next would be Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, at 8% support and Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was third with 4%, as per the report. The survey included 18 hypothetical candidates for the June 2026 primary, reported KTLA5.
Kamala Harris’ Decision Could Reshape the Race
Director of Emerson College Polling, Spencer Kimball said, “How competitive the 2026 gubernatorial primary in California is depends on whether Harris runs. Other candidacies, like Katie Porter’s, are contingent on whether the former vice president enters the race,” as quoted in the report. Kimball mentioned that, “Harris garners 49% of Democrats, while Porter gets 13%. Without Harris in the race, Porter’s support among Democrats rises to 21%, which would make her an early frontrunner in a crowded field,” quoted KTLA5.
Voters Are Split on Whether Harris Should Run
However, voters have a divided opinion on whether Harris should run for this position. Voters are tied 50-50 on whether they really want her to.
Other Topics on Voters’ Minds
The Emerson College/Inside California Politics survey didn’t only examine Kamala Harris’ prospects for the 2026 governor’s race, it also took a peek at what Californians think about a couple of other topics, including the political future of Gavin Newsom, US president Donald Trump’s trade policy, and even the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, reported KTLA5.
According to the report, the majority of the respondents do not want Newsom to run for president in 2028, with 59% voting against him but 41% think he should. With respect to party affiliation, 61% of registered Democrats voted that Newsom should run, while 78% of Republicans and 75% of independents voted he should not, as per KTLA5.When California voters were asked about the president’s tariffs, most consider it as more of a tax on the consumer than a tax on trade partners, 60% to 22%, and 18% view it as neither as per the report. However, Kimball also shared that, “A majority of Democrats, 77%, and half of independent voters see tariffs as more of a tax on the consumer, while 48% of Republican voters see them as more of a tax on the foreign country,” as quoted by KTLA5.
When the participants were asked about the 2028 L.A. Summer Games, 32% said they are “very interested” in the games, 44% are “somewhat interested”, and 24% are “not interested at all”, reported KLTA5.
According to the KLTA5 report, a majority of California voters, 58%, would want to see the Olympic Games in person if they could afford it, while 42% would not.
FAQs
How much support does Harris have among voters right now?
According to the poll, 31% of voters say they’d vote for her in the 2026 primary.
What happens if Harris doesn’t run?
Katie Porter could become the frontrunner among Democrats, with her support jumping to 21%, as per the report.
