Chris Cillizza, a prominent political commentator, has openly advised Kamala Harris to reconsider her potential bid for the Presidency in 2028 due to less-than-stellar polling results.
According to the Daily Caller, based on recent polls, Cillizza recommends Harris pursue the California governorship in 2026 instead of aiming for the Presidential office.
Chris Cillizza discussed the future political prospects of Kamala Harris in his recent YouTube channel segment and on NewsNation. He emphasized that while Harris currently leads in early polling for the 2028 Presidential race, her lead is not decisive.
Close allies of Kamala Harris, former Vice President under President Joe Biden, hinted at Harris's interest in California's gubernatorial race scheduled for 2026. This information was revealed through discussions with The New York Times on April 10, indicating a possible strategic pivot in her career path after the Vice Presidency.
According to Cillizza, two polls conducted in the spring of 2025 – the Zeteo/Data for Progress poll and the Yale Youth Poll – show Harris as the leading candidate among Democrats for the 2028 primary but not convincingly ahead of her peers. In the Zeteo/Data for Progress poll, Harris garnered 18% support, slightly ahead of Pete Buttigieg at 14%, and in a tie with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cory Booker, who both also captured 12%.
The situation appears more optimistic in the Yale Youth Poll, where Harris leads with 27.5%, followed by Ocasio-Cortez at 21.3% and Buttigieg at 14%. Despite these numbers, Cillizza expressed concerns over Harris's overall appeal within the party, noting her high recognition but relatively moderate enthusiasm among Democratic voters.
Chris Cillizza contrasted Harris' current polling position with that of Hillary Clinton in 2013, where Clinton significantly led with around 60% in early polls for the 2016 Presidential race. The stark difference in polling percentages highlights the challenge Harris might face in building a compelling case for her candidacy.
Cillizza's critique echoes concerns about Harris's ability to expand her support base within the Democratic Party. He pointed out that despite her high name recognition, her polling numbers are not translating into a clear leadership position over her potential competitors.
During his commentary, Cillizza emphasized the importance of these early poll results: "Any poll that’s done right now … is going to show Kamala Harris in first place," indicating this result stems more from name recognition than active support for another presidential run.
"But there’s been two polls out in the last four days that I think should be a bright siren, a red flashing warning for Kamala Harris as she looks at what she wants to run for next — and the presidency," Cillizza added, underscoring the alarms raised by the data.
Detailing the poll results, Cillizza stated, "The conclusion that despite the fact that Kamala Harris is totally known by Democrats in this country, somewhere between 1/5 and less than a third of Democrats say, ‘Yes, I would vote for her.’ So 28% in the Yale polling, 18% in the Zeteo/Data for Progress polling." He questions whether these numbers represent a solid foundation for a presidential campaign.
He compared Harris' situation to her fellow potential contenders. "You’re better known than Pete Buttigieg, you’re better known than AOC, you’re better known than Cory Booker, and yet you’re basically running even or close to even with these people. That does not bode well," said Cillizza, highlighting the challenges Harris faces despite her visibility.
In his final advice, Cillizza suggested, "This is not telling me I can’t win, but it is suggesting that at least right now, there is not a clamor within the Democratic Party for me," articulating that Harris' potential for a win is not in the presidential campaign but perhaps could see better prospects in the gubernatorial race of California.
This detailed discussion and analysis by Cillizza serve as a crucial forecast for Harris's political journey, advising a reconsideration of her ambitions based on the current political climate and public opinion amongst Democratic voters.