Vice President Kamala Harris‘s political career may not have ended with her landslide defeat by President-elect Donald J. Trump in the 2024 election. A recent survey of California voters suggests Harris would hold a significant advantage if she opts to run for governor of the state in 2026.

Nearly half of voters surveyed say they would likely support Harris in a crowded gubernatorial race, according to a poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Among Democrats, who double the number of registered Republicans, 72 percent expressed potential support for Harris, compared to eight percent of Republicans and 38 percent of independents.

Harris’s commanding lead in a hypothetical 2026 California gubernatorial race is likely partly due to her near-universal name recognition and elevated voter interest following the 2024 presidential race. “Nearly all voters in this state have an opinion of her, and that’s really the big advantage that she brings to an early poll,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of UC Berkeley’s IGS Poll. “None of the other candidates are as well known to the voting public.”

HIGH NEGATIVES?

While Harris’s high name identification could be a boon to a run for the California governor’s mansion, her political career in the state is not viewed positively by all residents. Harris has been accused of flaunting state ethics rules as both a district attorney and as California’s Attorney General.

While working in a district attorney‘s office, Harris failed to disclose her romantic relationship with the powerful California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. Due to this relationship, Harris reportedly received lucrative appointments to several state boards. As Attorney General, Harris dropped a fraud investigation into the health supplement company Herbalife after a large political donation from Heather Podesta, a powerful Democrat lobbyist and member of the Podesta family tied to the company.