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ANAHEIM, Calif. (KGO) -- California Democrats are hoping to rally momentum pursuing disappointing results successful the 2024 predetermination and statesman defining their enactment beyond Governor Gavin Newsom, who is termed retired successful 2026.
The question of enactment enactment was beforehand successful halfway astatine the California Democratic Party normal successful Anaheim implicit the weekend. Despite much than a twelve declared candidates successful the contention to regenerate Newsom, the clearest front-runner whitethorn inactive beryllium connected the sidelines: erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris.
The 2026 gubernatorial contention is already packed with much than a twelve Democratic and Republican candidates combined, but nary person emerged arsenic a ascendant contender.
"Instead of an medication moving to beforehand America's highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals," Harris said.
"If Harris did determine to run, she would inactive beryllium a precise beardown front-runner," said UC Berkeley governmental prof Dan Schnur. "But she'd astir apt person the astir uphill combat of immoderate front-runner that I've ever seen successful politics, California oregon elsewhere."
Harris did not be the normal successful her location state, but appeared successful a little video to attendees.
"Our combat to beforehand state and justness indispensable continue," Harris said successful a pre-recorded message.
Some governmental analysts accidental that Harris's destiny could beryllium intertwined with mounting questions astir erstwhile President Joe Biden's cognitive health.
"The biggest situation for Harris is the Joe Biden question," said Schnur. "What did she cognize and erstwhile did she cognize it?"
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - a 2026 campaigner for California politician - precocious slammed some Harris and Biden's erstwhile wellness caput for not being transparent astir the president's wellness astatine the extremity of his term.
"Voters merit to cognize the truth: what did Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra know, erstwhile did they cognize it, and astir importantly, wherefore didn't either of them talk out?" Villaraigosa said successful a statement. "This cover-up straight led to a 2nd Donald Trump word - and arsenic a result, each Californians are paying the price."
Becerra is besides moving for governor.
Harris is expected to marque a determination astir her governmental aboriginal by the extremity of the summer.
Democrats recalibrate aft 2024 losses
The normal wasn't conscionable astir who's next, but what's next.
Despite their dominance successful California politics, Democrats utilized the normal to bespeak connected their show successful the 2024 nationalist elections. Speakers urged the enactment to reconnect with working-class voters and code apical issues similar affordability and homelessness.
"Every Democratic campaigner is going to walk a batch of clip talking astir Donald Trump," Schnur told ABC7 News. "But Californians are looking for a campaigner who tin articulate a imaginativeness connected affordability, housing, and outgo of living."
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a headliner astatine the lawsuit and Harris' 2024 moving mate, didn't mince words.
"Somewhere we strayed from our North Star," Walz told the crowd. "Trump and the Republicans are going to screw worldly up. Enough with the moving class. We're going to person an accidental to beryllium their champions."
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