Kamala Harris May Be Eyeing an Unexpected Post-Election Path

Following her loss in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris is exploring her next chapter—and it might involve a connection to an HBCU.

A recent New York Times article titled “Sidelined and Still Processing Her Defeat, Harris Looks for a Way Back in” outlines how Harris has been navigating the aftermath of her defeat and highlights the potential directions she may take in her career.

According to the piece, the Howard University graduate is considering creating a policy-focused center at either her alma mater or Stanford University.

“An aide has held preliminary talks with universities about establishing a policy institute, though some warned that could complicate her political aspirations,” the article states. The report adds this move could represent either “a positive opportunity” or trigger “political blowback.”

“One possibility: establishing an institute for policy and ideas. Brian Nelson, an adviser to Ms. Harris since she was California’s attorney general, has broached the idea with several universities, including Howard and Stanford. But some allies have noted that raising money for such a center could, depending on the donors, create liabilities in future races,” the report continues.

Policy institutes are organizations that conduct research on important societal, economic, and political topics, aiming to influence public policy through evidence-based recommendations.

If Harris moves forward with this plan, The New York Times suggests the institute would likely focus on issues she’s prioritized throughout her career—such as criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, and maternal health.

Still, Harris may not be done with electoral politics. The article also discusses the possibility of her entering the 2026 race for governor of California, with current Governor Gavin Newsom unable to seek reelection due to term limits.

Should she decide to run, Harris would need to launch her campaign in the coming months to qualify for the Democratic primary.

Early data indicates she would start with a significant advantage. A February poll by Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill showed her with support from nearly 60% of likely Democratic primary voters.

So far, Harris has not confirmed whether she plans to pursue the governorship. In a recent public appearance, she refrained from naming President Biden directly, but commented on the current national climate.

“There were many things that we knew would happen, many things,” she said, referring to her presidential campaign. “I’m not here to say, ‘I told you so,’” she added with a grin as the audience applauded. “I swore I wasn’t going to say that.”

WATCH:

Meanwhile, new revelations have emerged about how deeply former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was involved in efforts to prevent Harris from becoming the Democratic nominee.

During his Tuesday show, Fox News host Jesse Watters referenced the book Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle For the White House by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, which provides further detail on Pelosi’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

Watters aired a clip of Parnes discussing Pelosi’s reaction to President Biden’s poor debate performance against Donald Trump: “She watches the debate, she’s unhappy and she thinks that she doesn’t want Democrats to rush into anything in that moment because she thinks if they rush him out then Kamala is going to be in and she does not think that Kamala Harris can win. She’s in a pickle in that moment.”

He followed with a clip of Allen: “Her thinking was Biden had to get out and Harris was a disaster and what she was trying to do was get Biden out in time so the Democrats could choose someone other than Harris.”

“Kamala won’t be happy when she sees this, but nobody is more upset with Pelosi than Joe Biden,” Watters said. He cited a passage from the book, noting: “‘Biden was with his friends on Air Force One and started naming the people he would never forgive for their betrayal. The first name out of his mouth – Nancy Pelosi. Biden and Pelosi may never talk again.’”

In another segment, Parnes explained the ongoing tension: “There is still a lot of friction between the two. She went on air on another network and basically twisted the knife, and he and his campaign aides were in shock. She essentially had her fingerprints all over this. The campaign knew it, he knew it, and I don’t think there’s going to be any love lost.”

Watters closed the segment with a final jab: “But Pelosi was right, Biden did not have what it takes and neither did Kamala. She spent three months and $2 billion crashing and burning, and the whole time, she thought she was winning.”

He then played one last clip of Parnes, who told CNN: “We know that they were shocked, completely surprised by the events that unfolded on election night. They thought they were going to win and, you know, when they were told that they were losing in the final hours and that they had lost, there was complete silence and shock and they were dumbfounded by what was happening.”