White House · Axios · Axios
Many ex-aides to Harris betting against a 2028 run
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Many of those who know Kamala Harris best think she ultimately won't run for the White House in 2028.
Key facts
- Many of those who know Kamala Harris best think she ultimately won't run for the White House in 2028
- What they're saying: A former Harris aide connected to Axios by her current team put the odds of another run at "50-50," saying the former VP "is a methodical decision-maker" who will weigh
- David Plouffe, Harris' 2024 senior adviser, was blunt about the headwinds she would face in a third national campaign, even as he acknowledged she'd begin in an enviable position
- The lone former Harris staffer who told them they expect her to run gave it a "55% chance," noting that Harris has been ramping up her calls to Democratic officials and activists
Summary
What the former vice president decides to do is one of the biggest X factors in the next presidential contest: Early polls suggest Harris is the frontrunner to be the Democratic nominee, and if she opted out, it would scramble the primary. Over the past year, a surprisingly large number of former aides, surrogates and donors to Harris have told Axios they believe she won't launch another campaign. They argue that the moves she's making, hitting the trail for midterm candidates, going on the podcast circuit, and writing a book, might make her look like a contender-in-waiting, but amount to her simply trying to maintain influence.