As Kamala Harris considers whether to seek the presidency once again, she is immersing herself in the midterms by campaigning alongside fellow Democrats, beginning with a Tuesday trip to Michigan on behalf of Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
The stop is a particularly significant choice for the former vice president. Michigan was among seven battleground states she lost to Donald Trump two years ago, and it now stands as one of six states that will initiate the next presidential nominating process for Democrats. Harris also has upcoming rallies set for Nevada and Georgia, two other vital stops on the political landscape.
Her campaign appearances could either solidify or weaken her standing as a prospective Democratic front-runner. Although she remains one of the nation's most recognizable politicians and a pathbreaking figure, others in the party are eager for a fresh chapter after she failed to defeat Trump when she replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.
"I think sheās run her course," said Barry Goodman, a Michigan Democratic National Committee member who raised funds for Biden and later Harris. "I just donāt think her running again would be the right thing for America moving forward."
A number of Democratic candidates, particularly in regions Donald Trump carried easily, have flatly rejected the prospect of appearing with Harris. "No thanks," Iowa gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand told Politico. "Letās move on. We need some new leadership."
Yet many Democrats, including influential Black women who helped persuade Biden to choose Harris as his running mate in 2020, contend she has earned the right to deliberate over her options without being pushed aside or criticized. Emphasizing her distinct position, California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently told CNN he would not enter the contest if Harris runs.
"Kamala isnāt under any deadline to run for anything," said Donna Brazile, a former Democratic National Committee chair who managed Al Goreās 2000 presidential bid. Calling it a "waste of time" to dwell on Harrisās shortened 2024 campaign, she suggested other White House contenders "should follow Kamalaās lead and get out there" to assist midterm candidates.
Harris has not announced visits to South Carolina, where Democrats will hold their opening primary. Antjuan Seawright, a political consultant based there, said she could present a compelling case, though a future campaign would need to look and sound different.
"Sheās going to have to admit that she was wrong about some things," he said.
Harris shares a complicated history in the state, where prominent Arab American communities grew angry over Biden's support for Israeli military actions in Gaza and were disappointed when Harris did not separate her stance from his after becoming the nominee.
El-Sayed, by contrast, is a prominent critic of Israel who has called the war a genocide against Palestinians, a description Israel rejects. He has faced concern from some Jewish voters, which he has tried to navigate by apologizing for past controversial statements.
El-Sayed noted to MSNOW that "there were some hurt feelings" in Michigan following the 2024 election, with some Black voters feeling Arab Americans did not offer enough support to Harris.
With the former vice president visiting, he sees an opportunity "to bring communities together that have often been torn apart by recent events."
The joint appearance will draw intense focus for other reasons as well. Harris maintains a complicated relationship with the party's progressive wing, which includes El-Sayed, while El-Sayed aims to secure establishment backing in his contest against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman.
"We can build together on the areas of agreement, and we can come to understand each other far better on the areas where we might have seen eye to eye, and I think her coming into town will help us to do that," El-Sayed said.
Harris' travel schedule remains light compared to other prospective candidates like Pete Buttigieg, who ran in 2020 before serving as Bidenās transportation secretary. Buttigieg recently visited South Carolina and has been actively campaigning for midterm Democrats.
Harris visited South Carolina in the spring for smaller party functions, and recently joined an organizing call aimed at registering and mobilizing 1 million Black voters.
"Thereās value in doing a lot of stuff behind the scenes instead of being front and center, especially for her," said Bre Maxwell, a Democratic National Committee member from South Carolina. She noted little reason for Harris to step into media cycles knowing "sheās still a target of Donald Trump right now."
Jaime Harrison, a South Carolinian who served as national party chair under the Biden-Harris administration, said her standing gives her a timing advantage other potential candidates lack.
"Many of these folks who do get in quickly would love to have that type of name ID, would love to have that type of network, to have that type of email list," Harrison said.
Harris has stated repeatedly, including in an Associated Press interview last year, that she feels no pressure to decide her plans. "Right now ā midterms, midterms, midterms," she told Megan Rapinoe on a recent podcast. Spokesman Eduardo NegrĆ³n declined to comment regarding her timeline.
Her other upcoming campaign appearances include events for Nevadaās Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Aaron Ford, and Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is sparking 2028 speculation of his own while running for reelection.
"She is certainly being strategic," said Seawright, the South Carolina consultant.
He pointed out that her book tour for her campaign memoir, "107 Days," visited nearly every major Southern city in states where Black voters carry heavy influence in early primary contests.
Meanwhile, Goodman said he sees no sign that Harris is engaging top party donors, and Harrison noted he has not spoken with her since last December.
Harris first ran for president in the 2020 cycle as a U.S. senator from California, but exited in late 2019 before any votes were cast.
Some progressives viewed the former prosecutor as part of a system that disproportionately imprisons Black men, while some moderates saw her as a typical San Francisco liberal.
Biden selected her as his running mate, making her the first woman and Black person to serve as vice president.
When Biden ended his reelection effort after a poor debate performance, Harris energized voters, generating crowds matching or exceeding Trumpās. Her convention address and debate performance drew praise from many analysts.
However, she struggled to distance herself from Biden on inflation and immigration, famously telling interviewers on "The View" she could not think of anything she would have done differently. Trump targeted her in advertisements focusing on her support for transgender rights, declaring: "Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you."
If she runs again, Seawright said she must stress moderate positions and "be willing to say, you know, āIāve rethought some things.ā" Voters, he added, "reward that kind of authenticity and humility."
Harrison observed that presenting her own platform would be easier than when "she was a sitting vice president, somebody elseās No. 2." But he warned she must shed the formal trappings of the vice presidency.
"You canāt act like a sitting vice president, standing up on that stage," he said. "Iād tell her she has to run hard, just as hard as everybody else, working every rope line, taking every selfie."
Unlike 2024, Harrison warned, "This is going to be the wild, wild west."
