BURSTFormer “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd said Sunday he’d be “shocked” if former Vice President Harris runs for California governor in two years.
“I would be shocked if she does,” Todd told NBC4’s Conan Nolan on the Los Angeles station’s NewsConference. “If she wants to run for president in ‘28, you can’t run for governor of California in ‘26.”
“I think — so, I do think if she runs for governor, she’s made the decision she’s not running,” Todd added, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
A survey conducted last month found Harris as the front-runner for Golden State governor if the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) featured the former vice president. Close to 6 in 10 Democratic primary voters in California backed a hypothetical gubernatorial bid by Harris in the Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill survey.
In the wake of her 2024 election loss, there have been questions swirling around Harris’s next moves. She has been seen as a possible successor for Newsom, who is term-limited, as well as a 2028 presidential contender.
In February, Harris pushed back against questions on a California gubernatorial bid.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days. My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them,” Harris said to reporters at the time, in the wake of touring areas affected by the Palisades wildfire.
Todd said Sunday in the case of him “advising” Harris, “I’d tell her, ‘Go throw yourself into the rebuild of LA and get involved with the LA Olympic Committee.’”
“‘Be above politics for a couple of years and come back maybe in 2030 or 2032,’” he added.