Former US vice president Kamala Harris has returned to the campaign trail to support Democrats in closely contested races ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as speculation grows over whether she will make another bid for the White House in 2028. According to news agency Reuters, Harris, the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee, is campaigning in Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. She has made relatively few public appearances this year but is now stepping up efforts to help Democrats challenge Republican control of Congress.
Harris began her campaign tour in Las Vegas on Tuesday, criticising President Donald Trump and his administration over what she described as its cruelty and incompetence. Speaking alongside Nevada gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford, she addressed members of the Culinary Workers Union. "We got a serious fight in front of us," Harris said, accusing the Trump administration of being corrupt, callous and incompetent. Ford, Nevada's first Black attorney general, is seeking to become the state's governor. Harris said his election would make him the first Black governor west of the Mississippi River. Harris continued her campaign appearances in Mississippi, where she rallied supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom in Columbus. Colom is attempting to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from Mississippi since 1982. He is facing Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in a closely contested race, Reuters reported. Addressing supporters, Harris encouraged young people not to let others' doubts limit their ambitions, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Harris' popularity remains divided along party lines
Harris' return to the campaign trail comes as both parties seek to mobilise voters ahead of the midterms. Trump has also been travelling across the country to campaign for Republican candidates facing competitive races. However, Harris continues to face challenges in winning support beyond the Democratic base. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in June found that 39 per cent of Americans viewed her favourably. Her approval was significantly higher among Democrats, at 82 per cent, compared with 7 per cent among Republicans and 33 per cent among independents. Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a member of the Democratic National Committee, said parties typically turn to their most prominent figures towards the end of an election campaign. "At the end of a campaign, you bring out your heavy hitters," Kamarck was quoted as saying by Reuters, adding that this was the reason Harris and Trump were campaigning for their respective parties.
Will Harris run for president again in 2028?
Harris could emerge as one of the leading contenders if she decides to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. However, her political record includes two unsuccessful presidential campaigns. She lost to Trump in the 2024 election, while her first presidential campaign ended before the Democratic primaries began in 2020. A potential 2028 bid would also bring renewed scrutiny of the events surrounding the 2024 election, when then-president Joe Biden abandoned his re-election campaign amid concerns about his age and mental fitness, leaving Harris to take his place as the Democratic nominee. Harris later criticised Biden's decision to seek a second term as "reckless" in her memoir, 107 Days, named after the length of the presidential campaign she inherited. She has also become more vocal about the Biden administration's approach to Israel's war in Gaza. This month, Harris criticised the Israeli government's "horrific conduct" and said the US should have acted sooner and more forcefully.
Harris says 2026 midterms come first
Harris has not ruled out another presidential run, but she has repeatedly emphasised the importance of the upcoming midterm elections. During an appearance on the video podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer this month, actor Keke Palmer asked Harris whether she would run for president again. "Oh, girl, come on!" Harris replied, laughing. "I haven't decided yet." She then stressed that the immediate priority was the midterm elections. "2028 don't matter if we don't do 2026 right," Harris said. Her return to the campaign trail is likely to keep her in the political spotlight as Democrats seek to regain congressional ground and potential candidates begin positioning themselves for the next presidential election.
