Former Vice President Kamala Harris would lead the Democrat field if she decided to enter the 2026 California gubernatorial race, a new survey found.
Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run for reelection due to term limits, and Harris has not said whether she plans to run.
Harris, who lost last year's presidential race to Donald Trump, receives support from 57% of Democrat primary voters, according to Emerson College/Inside California Politics/The Hill poll results released Thursday.
Among the primary voters, 9% say they support Rep. Katie Porter, 4% say they prefer former Speaker of the California State Assembly Antonio Villaraigosa, another 4% say they back Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and 17% say they are undecided.
Without Harris on the ballot, a plurality (45%) say they are undecided, while 21% support Porter, 9% Villaraigosa, and 5% Kounalakis.
"Support for Harris is strongest among women (60%), Hispanics (61%), and Black Democratic voters (64%)," Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said.
"If Vice President Harris enters the Democratic Primary, she would start as the clear favorite. Without Harris in the race, the primary is wide open. Former Rep. Porter leads the pack, performing well among voters with college degrees (26%) or postgraduate degrees (25%)."
While touring damage from the Los Angeles-area wild fires and visiting displaced residents in a nearby Red Cross shelter last week, Harris was asked about her future political plans.
"I have been home for two weeks and three days," Harris said, Politico reported. "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, and most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis and do what I can do to to offer any assistance, even if it is a kind word along the way."
The Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill survey also found that Newsom has a 42% job approval among California voters, while 40% say they disapprove of the job he is doing in office.
Also, 62% say California government should spend more on firefighter staffing and equipment, knowing increased funding may require a tax increase, while 35% say they should spend the same, and 3% think the state should spend less.
"Majorities of Democrats (68%), Republicans (61%), and independents (54%) support increased state spending on firefighter staffing and equipment, reflecting heightened concern amid wildfire threats," Kimball said.
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