California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he cannot tell a lie: He’s thinking about it.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris says it’s on her mind, too. In fact, not just in her mind — it’s “in her bones.”
What is it? A 2028 White House run, which would mean a primary race that will run — whether the Democratic National Committee (DNC) likes it or not — right through New Hampshire.
Harris, the first Democratic presidential candidate to lose the popular vote to a nonincumbent Republican since Michael Dukakis, told the BBC on Saturday she has considered making another White House run.
“I am not done,” the former vice president said. “I have lived my entire career as a life of service, and it’s in my bones.”
Harris’ new book, “107 Days,” is full of unflattering comments about her former boss, President Joe Biden, including criticism of his decision to seek a second term.
“I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision,” Harris wrote.
Republicans have greeted Harris’ talk of another White House run with glee.
“I think we as Republicans should want Kamala to be the face of the Democrat Party,” Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) posted on social media. “Let them double down!”
Newsom has made no secret of his interest in a 2028 run. In a CBS News interview that aired Sunday and was recorded Thursday, Newsom removed all doubt. Asked whether he would give a presidential run serious thought after the midterms, he replied, “Yeah.”
To say otherwise, “I’d just be lying, and I can’t do that,” Newsom said.
According to the latest national polls posted at RealClearPolitics, Harris and Newsom are consistently among the top three picks of Democratic primary voters, though the race is three years away.
Also on the list: Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.); Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.); former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.); Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.); Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.); and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.).
What sort of reception should Harris — who had the weakest performance in New Hampshire of any Democrat since Al Gore — expect from Granite State Democrats?
Democrats were reluctant to speak with NHJournal on the record, but several — both progressives and moderates — said they didn’t see much passion for Harris among rank-and-file Democrats in the state.
“The people I serve with aren’t really interested in either (Harris or Newsom) right now,” one elected Democrat said. “I hear Booker, AOC, and Buttigieg — maybe (Sen.) Amy Klobuchar.”
Former state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro is now a principal at the Northbridge Strategies consulting firm, and he’s been a major player in FITN politics for decades. He believes Harris and Newsom are on two different tracks in New Hampshire.
“First of all, Gavin Newsom will be the best-dressed candidate in the race, no doubt,” D’Allesandro quipped. “I think he will be well received here. He campaigned here in 2024, and people seemed to like him.”
And Harris? “I don’t see a path for her. She was a one-hit wonder.”
Fergus Cullen is a Republican city councilor running for reelection in the heavily Democratic city of Dover. He’s been going door to door for weeks, talking to voters, and he’s not optimistic about Harris’ chances.
“Kamala Harris is a nonstarter among New Hampshire Democrats. They know they need a fresh face. I think most of them would give Newsom a look, however. I’ve even seen a ‘Newsom for President’ lawn sign in Dover.”
A Democratic campaign operative who would only speak on background had one word of caution for their fellow Democrats.
“For God’s sake, do not nominate anyone from California! That’s a great way to keep losing.”
Harris didn’t stay in the 2020 primary long enough to make it to New Hampshire, but polling when she dropped out showed she was already relegated to the lower tier of candidates. She had no endorsements from prominent state Democrats or any organizations.
And that may not be good news for New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary.
On Monday, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet to consider guidelines for evaluating states like New Hampshire that hope to hold early contests.
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley has released a memo he’s giving to the DNC, making the case for the Granite State’s FITN primary, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco. He argues that the FITN should stay here not because of history or the state’s law mandating that the Granite State goes first, but because “we should go first because we are unique in being a small, purple state with an exceptional track record of civic engagement.”
While Harris doesn’t have much political sway among the electorate, she still has strong connections inside the DNC. Her allies may be able to influence the calendar to create the best opportunity for a Harris rerun. Few analysts believe Harris would do well in the Granite State.
But that may be a mistake, too, the Democratic operative told NHJournal.
“If you are a Bernie Sanders progressive, you want New Hampshire early. A secular, highly educated electorate is your best bet. Minorities in states like South Carolina tend to vote more centrist, as we saw with Joe Biden.
“New Hampshire, with its small size and zeal for retail politics, deserves an early spot. We need to stop with the self-flagellation over identity politics. For Democrats in a primary, this is a progressive state. Will Kamala be a progressive candidate?”
