My statement on the California governor's race and the fight ahead.
— Kamala Harris (@kamalaharris.com) July 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
BREAKING: Kamala Harris announces her decision NOT to run for Governor of California.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen.bsky.social) July 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
… A person close to Harris who spoke with her Wednesday said Harris looked forward to talking to Californians and people across the country about this moment, but as a private citizen. They insisted that Harris had a path to victory if she had run for governor.
“Stay tuned because she’s going to have other announcements and they’re not about 2028,” the person said.
“She still wants to be part of the national conversation and talk about Donald Trump and being in debates and forums in California is not going to allow her to do that,” the person added.
Harris’ decision keeps the race to be California’s next governor wide open. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who came up through San Francisco politics alongside Harris, is unable run for re-election due to term limits.
A number of Democrats have jumped into the race to succeed Newsom, including Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis; former Health and Human Services Secretary and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra; former Rep. Katie Porter; former state Senate President Toni Atkins, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others.
The party is expected to hold onto the governorship in the heavily Democratic state, which Harris carried by 20 points in the last presidential race.
Kamala Harris won’t run for California governor.
— Politico (@politico.com) July 30, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Politico, however, hopes for a national food fight…
… Her decision re-opens the possibility of another presidential campaign by one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures. In her statement, however, she expressed misgivings with what she cast as the limitations of government…
Harris’ announcement upends the contest to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, which has been largely static as the field braced for a possible Harris candidacy. With near-universal name identification, strong approval ratings among Democrats and a national fundraising network, Harris would have begun the race as an imposing frontrunner.
But there were warning signs that Harris, though formidable, would face some challenges in a quest for the governor’s mansion. Party activists and some donors were lukewarm to her potential bid, still nursing a hangover from 2024 and reluctant to be reminded of her losing presidential campaign. And pressure was mounting for Harris to articulate a vision for governing a massive and complicated state where she has not lived full-time in nearly a decade…
Her lengthy deliberations — met with increasing impatience from Democratic activists and donors, not to mention the other declared candidates — led to a sense her decision was long overdue. But the relentless speculation belied the fact that a Harris gubernatorial bid had hardly been on anyone’s bingo card more than a year ago.
Until recently, Harris dwelled squarely in the realm of national politics — a sitting vice president who represented her country on the global stage and mostly visited her home state for low-key retreats from Washington.
Then came the extraordinary events of summer and fall 2024: President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance leading to him abandoning his reelection bid; Harris’ swift consolidation of party support to become the Democratic presidential nominee; and a warp-speed presidential campaign against Donald Trump that ended with her narrowly losing the popular vote and coming up short in all seven swing states.
After leaving office, Harris has maintained a discreet public profile, limiting any overtly political appearances to a handful of speeches. Behind the scenes, she was consulting with supporters and donors as she weighed the governorship, another White House bid or finding an unelected way to remain civically engaged.
I personally think the woman has given enough of her one life in service already, but I look forward to seeing what she decides should be her next step.
chemiclord
The media REALLY wants to try and tear her apart again.
Baud
@chemiclord:
They’re probably not the only ones. Lots of bad people out there.
Hildebrand
@Baud: Yep – I am sorry that she won’t be running, but I fully understand that she may not want to be put through that wringer again.
Elizabelle
@chemiclord: Great first comment, dude. Let’s make this as negative as possible.
I would love to vote for her again. She has name recognition, was right about most stuff (as was Hillary). And, I would guess there is a lot of regret among nonvoters and sporadic voters for not supporting her.
Although. Perhaps this is a way for MSM to try to change the Epstein narrative.
Harris’s was a narrow loss. You would never understand that if all you saw was headlines — mostly in the Vichy Fucking NY Times — disparaging the Democrats every single chance they get.
Omnes Omnibus
She’s done her bit. If she chooses to live out Maya Rudolph’s “You coulda had a bad bitch” impression with a drink in her hand, that’s fine. I doubt she will, that’s up to her. She owes us nothing.
Scout211
I’m disappointed that she won’t be our governor. I think she would have been awesome in that role. But I understand why she decided not to run and I can’t say I’m surprised.
Thank you, MVP Harris. You have my vote, my support and my gratitude.
Elizabelle
FWIW, I take the FTF Vichy Times recent two articles on listening to Latinos who have gone Republican as an attempt to “hey, you, Juan and Rosa — no reconsidering there. You were right the first time.”
The FTF Vichy Times is all in on people they think we should listen to more. As long as they are Republicans or “independents.”
Steve LaBonne
A serious political talent likely lost to us permanently because too many people have their heads up their asses.
Baud
@Steve LaBonne:
Agreed.
Steve LaBonne
@Elizabelle: Who is listening to them? Mamdani is making them look foolish.
Elizabelle
@Steve LaBonne: You go, Mamdani!
Baud
@Steve LaBonne:
Is he doing something besides simply winning?
I’ll give him a Medal of Honor if he can take down the NYT.
pacem appellant
Kounalakis and Porter are my favorites in this race. It’s a crowded field. RN, I’d like to see more movement from Kounalakis. Regardless, it’s gonna be a VERY EXPENSIVE primary.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: Yes.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Oh, dare I dream it’s Harris who is the prosecutor on Don the Pedo?
Elizabelle
WRT both the FTF NY Times and the Bezos WaPost: have you noticed how much they beg you to share your subscription with other individuals or even households?
They want the subscriber numbers. That is not asking for more paid subscribers.
I always doubt the NY Times is increasing its [paid] subscriber base so much. To who?
Steve LaBonne
@Baud: Let’s put it this way, once in office he will owe them less than nothing.
Trollhattan
Depending on one’s view of the office of vice president, that or senator were her highest jobs and CA governor is not a step up. A senate seat has more clout and a lot less bureaucracy.
I also can’t accept she’s interested in a Third time’s a charm WH run and being “drafted” to run isn’t really a thing.
Wonder how the “Hey Gavin, you running?” call went.
oldster
I voted for her, I like her, and I’m sure she would have done a good job.
But honestly, who would want to be governor of CA?
I would not. If she does not want to, either, then that’s her decision to make.
Baud
@Steve LaBonne:
No Dem owes them anything. I was pleased that Biden and Harris shunned them. I saddened that not enough of our voters took the fight seriously last year.
pacem appellant
@Trollhattan: I can’t wait to check the box for anybody but Newsom in the 2028 Democratic primary.
bbleh
@Steve LaBonne: concur. I can maybe see why she made the choice, but there’s gotta be a LOT more going on I have no clue about, eg state party politics, and … it’s fkin up to her! Her damn life.
bbleh
@Baud: I think the Vichy Times is doing a fine job of taking itself down, with or without his assistance. And alas, when he wins, they’ll still be around, and they’ll probably spend a GREAT deal of time working to sabotage him.
me
Motherfucking wind farms.
rikyrah
go get paid, Vice President Harris
GO.GET.PAID.
Ishiyama
Does this mean the media won’t have Harris to “kick around anymore”?
Archon
@Ishiyama: I actually thought Harris got pretty fair coverage from the media. Biden on the other hand…
kindness
As a Californian I’m sad. I liked Kamala & have voted for her every step of her career. But, a Democrat will be governor, regardless of the ads I’m seeing from Katie Porter (who I like) saying Republicans are polling ahead of Democrats and send $$$ now damnit! Katie, Katie Katie…
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Since this is an open thread; an interview with former Green Beret doing relief work in Gaza.
Oh dear god, no wonder none of Bibi’s stuff in Gaza makes any sense. It’s yet another Trump like clown show. Genocide by incompetently.
Suzanne
I love her and I hope that her future, whatever she decides to do with it, will be full of whatever she wants it to be.
Ishiyama
@Archon: A bit of history; Richard Nixon ran for Governor of California in 1962, after losing against JFK in 1960. He told the press, after his defeat for Governor, “You won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore”. Ironic, much?
Kamala may have taken a lesson from that.
Wapiti
If we’re wishcasting for Harris’ next job, I want to see her as lead prosecutor for the Epstein truth and consequences board. First up, William Barr, who has some ‘splaining to do about his role.
chemiclord
@kindness: Porter lost a LOT of respect from me when she started talking like Trump and said the Senate race was “rigged” against her.
PatD
@Baud: if you can’t count on their votes then they’re not really your voters.
cain
@chemiclord:
and the Dem party isn’t quite yet gotten their act together. So not a great time. I think it is the right decision.
cain
Tomorrow is my last day at Intel. I’m turning in my laptop and badge today. 3 years at Intel (but spent 20 years and was laid off in 2016) It was a great run and I wish Intel the best. Off to other adventures.
Harrison Wesley
I wonder if she would accept a Federal judgeship if offered.
Baud
@PatD:
Agreed. To get a winning majority, we need to work with people who aren’t us.
Scout211
65 people have filed to run?! I had no idea.
I’m not really sure what “pillars of collapse” means, but go for it, Carolina. We do need more young people running for office.
kindness
@Harrison Wesley: Supreme Court Chief Justice Kamala Harris. It does have a nice ring to it.
Suzanne
@cain: I hope the future brings you more fun and less stress!
Baud
@cain:
Nice!
Scout211
@cain: Good luck in your future adventures.
SuzieC
I wish she had run, but understand why she didn’t. That said, I don’t think she would win the next Dem primary for Pres. I would love to be wrong though.
Melancholy Jaques
@oldster:
I’m sure there are plenty of people who would gladly take the job. With Kamala Harris’s announcement, we will be hearing from all of them shortly.
Melancholy Jaques
@SuzieC:
I think it will be several cycles before Democratic primary voters nominate a woman. It’s fucked up & stupid, but so is the general electorate.
SuzieC
@Melancholy Jaques: Agree. Plus there’s the whole two-time loser thing.
Baud
@Melancholy Jaques:
Sadly likely true.
Ohio Mom
@cain: Godspeed.
Jacel
@Scout211: Keep in mind that for any California election (other than for US President), the primary election is a “jungle primary” where all candidates, regardless of their party or lack of party, run in the same field to try to be the top two that face off in the November election. Sometimes both candidates in the “real election” are from the same party.
Deputinize America
“Ah just wanted to keep young bucks in cities from getting to eat T-bone steaks. Ah didn’t know it would shut down the IGA and that the only store left would be Cletus’ Quik Mart…”
politico.com/news/2025/07/19/trump-snap-food-cuts-rural-grocers-megabill-00463048
Suzanne
@Melancholy Jaques:
I read some political speculation years ago (so no link, sorry), and it stuck with me…… and that is that it is likely that the first woman president will have to be a Republican. Our electorate simply cannot accept liberal women.
I found it horrifying at the time, and I still do…. Because the older I get, the more I realize that it’s probably true.
NotMax
@Deputinize America
“Y’know, them dollar store steaks ain’t half bad if you put enough ketchup on ’em.”
//
SuzieC
@Suzanne: I remember that. It was years ago. Might have been about the time when Elizabeth Dole was making a run for the Presidency
But first, they would have to run the gauntlet of their misogynistic primary voters.
Baud
@Suzanne:
They said that about the first black president. Didn’t work out that way.
But losing two good women on a row stings, even though it’s now gauche for Dems to care about identity.
schrodingers_cat
If Harris runs for the Democratic nomination, she has my vote.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Republicans are not going to nominate a woman for President anytime soon.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
Yes. That helps. I can’t think of any Republican woman who’s got a chance in 2028.
Uncle Cosmo
JFC, of course they do! Eyeballs on page is what the advertisers pay for.
drdavechemist
@Suzanne:
I still find it hard to believe that this country elected a black man to the presidency in 2008 and take it as a clear sign that the first woman (of either party) will only be elected if her predecessor screws up worse than GWB. And yes, it is depressing, but apparently misogyny (or at least the rejection of a woman in power) crosses demographic lines more strongly than racism.
Baud
@drdavechemist:
Crosses partisan lines too.
Omnes Omnibus
@Suzanne: People used to say that about a Black president too.
Trollhattan
@Scout211:
There will be some giant number of primary candidates, resulting on one Democrat and one circus clown/washed out athlete/known human trafficker with an R next to his/her name, in November. Maybe the return of Rocky, also, too.
It’s how we roll.
Suzanne
@Omnes Omnibus: I try to muster up the optimism that you are correct. At the time I read it, my reaction was NO WAY, THAT’S FUCKEN WRONG.
sab
OT: I had a great, very happy day but I will wait for a happy # to talk about it.
laura
A brief report from the train to SF- tsunami waves are unceasing, but not high. Instead of wave, pause, wave, just very close with the next wave maybe a foot or less behind it.
Personally, I am glad that Kamala Harris is taking a pass on seeking the governorship.
pacem appellant
@kindness: Yeah, Porter needs to drop that consultant click-bait shit ASAP. It’s as bad as the inundation of text messages I constantly block and delete.
Baud
@sab:
What’s wrong with 65?
p.a
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes but a Black MAN at the top of the ticket is 2-0. Women 0-2. Statistically significant? IDK, but suggestive.
Maybe it’ll take something even worse than the Great Recession/Iraq/New Orleans. Like the undermining of American Institutional Democracy.
sab
@Baud: Nothing whatever wrong in my day. Just want to save it for a happy post.
Baud
Canada joins Europe
Baud
@sab:
We have happy posts?
Trollhattan
@Baud:
I have a happy post: Liam Neeson is playing Frank Drebin in a Naked Gun reboot. I’m so there.
pastemagazine.com/movies/akiva-schaffer/the-naked-gun-2025-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-akiva-schaffe…
Baud
@Trollhattan:
I hope it’s good. I feel like there hasn’t been a good comedy in a long time.
sab
@Baud: Rarely we do. Jackals always fuck that up, but the happy post hash tag allows us to be happy in those comments.
ETA Today was so hot, but also so happy, that I don’t have to cook dinner tonight. Yay.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: A student recommended that I watch Girls, which I was never interested in. I started watching it. It is hilarious. I am totally surprised. None of the reviews gave me the sense that it was actually funny. I love it.
Baud
@sab:
Now you’re just being a tease.
Baud
@zhena gogolia:
I’ve never even heard of it.
ETA: I don’t have HBO
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Is that the one with Lena Dunham that Boring Freddie used to write about when he was a BJ FPer?
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
That was a long time ago. I assumed zhena was talking about a current show.
Eyeroller
@Suzanne: I have had that notion as well, but I think it would be because Republicans are more authoritarian, so if their authority at the time, whoever that might be, presents a female candidate as the “correct” choice, they will fall in line despite misgivings and misogyny. Democratic primary voters wouldn’t do that.
Edit: and I was sure well before 2012 that we’d elect a black man before a woman of any ethnicity, because of misogyny. And apparently I was right.
Geminid
@chemiclord: Porter walked that back a few days later. But I thought Porter’s complaints election night reflected poorly on her judgement and maybe her character. She let anger get the better of her.
And what was Porter angry about? Basically, that Adam Schiff spent his ample war chest attacking the Republican instead of her.
Baud
@Eyeroller:
Agree, but that woman still has to win Republican primary voters and will have to beat out Republican men to do it.
Baud
@Geminid:
That was bad. But I’m more forgiving that most, if she’s otherwise been solid. But I haven’t watched her closely so I don’t know how she’s been.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: Yes, it’s HBO Max.
@schrodingers_cat: It’s written by and starring Lena Dunham. I don’t remember Freddie talking about it.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: No, it’s from 2012. I only recently watched Mad Men and Sex and the City. I never watch things when they’re popular.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: Not going to happen with the current version of the Democratic party.
Bill Arnold
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
You and that green beret are insufficiently cynical. Think of the food as bait for humans who are being starved. Due to variations in food distribution, a barely sub-famine level of food imports at the level of the entirety of Gaza results in starvation of a large subset of the population, and this has to be deliberate, because Israelis are not stupid, and understand statistics and causality.
The goal is to depopulate the Gaza strip of non-Israelis; mass self-deportation due to fear and starvation is one of the methods.
BTW, the above is not out of the mainstream in discussions in Israel. (OK, <em>maybe</em> the “bait” bit is. I haven’t looked for it.)
Ohio Mom
@Geminid: Katy Porter had a good gig in the House. She found a way to make her own unique contribution. She should have stayed there.
Look at Pelosi as an example that being a Representative is not a lesser role, you can do important and lasting things as a member of the House.
(I have a version of this comment for AOC as well).
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
What won’t happen? Another woman nominee?
If so, I agree that’s unlikely in 2028
ETA: not that my guesses mean anything
Ohio Mom
@sab: I’m with Baud, I don’t want to have to wait for a happy thread, there’s too big a risk that there won’t be one for a long time.
Anyway, glad the stars are aligning for you. Enjoy!
Geminid
@Melancholy Jaques: I think it will be even more cycles before Democrats nominate a presidential candidate much over 60 years old. That’s not a problem for me because we have enough good prospects in their forties and fifties; a much stronger and younger bench than we had going into 2020.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: The current Republican party choosing a woman as their nominee.
FWIW I am not sure that the primaries are the best way to select a nominee. They drag on forever and create rifts that don’t heal.
NotMax
@Trollhattan
Did someone say Frank Drebin?
:)
schrodingers_cat
@schrodingers_cat: Oops meant to write Republican party but may be true for the Ds as well after KH and HRC.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
How else would you do it?
Geminid
@drdavechemist: One thing about 2008: between Bush’s stupid Iraq war and the financial meltdown, it was a bad year to run as a Republican. Barak Obama was strong candidate, but he also had the political winds at his back.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: IDK, the current version needs an update.
Geminid
@Trollhattan: Yeah, and Coyote vs. Acme is scheduled for release next summer, August I think. I may go see that in a theatre.
NotMax
@Baud
The old fashioned way — poker.
:)
Baud
Sure Lurkalot
@me:
This is excellent. Samuel L. Jackson v. Trump, no contest.
Shakti
-Hunh. That tweet from the NYT about preexisting conditions was real. (x cancel link)
-Not surprised she’s not running for governor. What’s the point in running for another glass cliff position ? She lost to *waves* this motherfucker and the Democratic party favorables are underwater.
Good lord, I would not want to do anything where I’d have to muzzle myself on the daily while fighting… *waves* these motherfuckers while getting back on the radar of this rapidly decompensating power drunk motherfucker and his enablers. What the fuck is this anyways, the weinie is spitballing abou prosecuting oprah and beyonce and her for their performances for one of her rallies for the election she lost.
Like she’d have to fight the fucking federal government all day every day to go beg for disaster relief every season. Which is *checks* psychopathic Elon interns and Speaker Johnson […LIST DROP TABLE.]
The Audacity of Krope
Is this where the donor class pushes the matter until she functionally doesn’t have a choice but to run?
Bokonon
@Suzanne:
Years ago, when I was still a sharp young lawyer working on K Street, a crew working for the BBC ambushed me on a street corner. They asked for my opinion about whether America was ready for a woman president. Wearing a suit and tie, with a nice haircut and all, I suppose I looked to them like a standard Washington DC insider.
I can’t remember what I said – probably some form of “maybe”. My comments were probably part of a newscast someplace and somewhere.
That was a quarter century ago. I think we’ve actually moved backwards as a country about our willingness to accept women as national leaders. I’d answer the BBC crew with a sadder and darker opinion these days.
Fair Economist
She would have been a good governor. This sounds like she’s done with public office, which is a pity for us.
The Audacity of Krope
Definitely valid, though I’d argue she doesn’t have to muzzle herself. That’s just what Democrats expect of other Democrats, some more than others.
cain
Thanks for the well wishes all will be well !
Wish my wife well too she has a school board meeting today to decide her fate as an assistant principal. The school district wants to kick her out.
She has the entire school behind her including union support. You are going to see a teacher insurrection!
Scout211
That’s not how I remember it. This is how I remember it.
and his response in the debate:
She regretted using the word “rigged” but still insisted big money donations made it unfair.
The Audacity of Krope
Shiv was first out the gate among the coup caucus. Jussayin’.
Gin & Tonic
Today I learned that “alienation” has a very specific legal meaning related to the transfer of property, having its roots in the word “lien.”
Fucking lawyers, amirite?
WaterGirl
@Baud: My guess is that she wants to be AG in the next Democratic administration.
The Audacity of Krope
@WaterGirl: My guess is she wants some peace, quiet, and well-earned rest.
Baud
@Gin & Tonic:
More people should.
Geminid
@Scout211: I guess I had it wrong then. I seem to remember Porter complaining about all the money Schiff spent attacking the Republican ballplayer, like he was trying to make it a two person race by ignoring her.
But I never liked Katie Porter to begin with and I’ll admit to bias
Ed. But I credit Porter for flipping a Republican seat in 2018, like I credit the other 39 Democrats who did.
Bokonon
You rang?
WaterGirl
@The Audacity of Krope: I don’t think that is likely to be what someone like Kamala, who is very driven, would want. Hopefully we’ll find out in 3 years.
Gin & Tonic
@Baud: Bend over and spread ’em.
Baud
@Gin & Tonic:
Nominated!
NotMax
@Gin & Tonic
Lawyers do it with briefs.
The Audacity of Krope
@WaterGirl: I can see how a driven person could get themselves over the dual humps of reckless people spinning wild stories about your history and actions with no repercussions and the more responsible set holding you to every single good up, major or minor.
It does seem one would need a reprieve for that after a time. You said three years (gee, wonder what you’re hoping for). Sounds like pretty significant time to rest then to build up all over again.
Scout211
That happened too.
But we have a jungle primary and like it or not, that was Schiff’s campaign strategy. Porter claiming fowl on Schiff’s campaign strategy was not a good campaign strategy for her, IMHO.
Gin & Tonic
@Baud: Wish I could take credit. But…
Another Scott
@me: 👍
Thanks.
Best wishes,
Scott.
justsomeguy05
Next head of DNC ?
Or rake in the money for a couple of years while hoping a Dem wins in 2028 and she becomes Attorney General or some other senior member of the admin ? Or Supreme Court justice ? After all (she might think) surely by 2028 the public will cause the Dems to easily win the Presidency in a fair election.
PJ
@Omnes Omnibus: Everyone knew exactly who Donald Fucking Trump was in 2024, and a plurality of voters preferred to vote for him than a smart, competent, black woman. Between the devil and a black woman, they chose the devil. While I think racism has overall decreased over my lifetime (despite the upturn in the current era), I think misogyny has actually increased, on the left and the right. The more women will not simply “let you do it”, the more they are resented.
Martin
@Geminid: No, Schiff bought ads supporting Garvey to help the general be Schiff/Garvey instead of Schiff/Porter, because it’d be a breeze to win a general against Garvey (and it was).
I’ve been trying to figure out how Harris would position herself in this race and think she’d really boxed herself in. I thought one of the more valid criticisms of Harris was the degree to which her positions had changed, which in politics of the past was a totally normal thing to do but is a lot harder to get away with now. I was probably the first Harris supporter on this site back in 2019 based on her actions as AG here, and on those matters she had very strong views that she fought to defend, and those stayed true through 2020 and 2024. But on other stuff it’s harder. I thought her populist economic approach early in the campaign was good and then it mostly went away. She never got to a clear position on Israel/Gaza or on immigration because there was this seeming need to not deviate from Biden’s positions.
California is pretty different even from national dems on policies like immigration and healthcare and taxation. Her housing policies made no sense for this state and that’s going to be a major issue. So she’s saddled with this problem of how to pivot off of a set of not super popular national policies onto a set of policies that will win her a Democratic primary against some strong opponents in a peculiarly blue state. It’s not like being strong on abortion (one of her better positions) helps you – everyone in the race is going to check that box.
I’m not saying she wouldn’t win, but I think she’d be on defense out of the gate. Porter, Eleni, and Becerra are all pretty popular and Porter wields an unexpectedly sharp knife. Not sure about Eleni and Becerra there.
Martin
@Geminid: She was a good candidate here but it’s a seat that was ready to flip as well. Old, red OC created its own demographic problems by resisting growth, meanwhile her district grew like crazy added loads of young and immigrant voters and turned pretty blue. Redistricting in 2020 made it a bit harder to win but she won regardless and Min has held the seat (they were colleagues and ran against each other in the 2018 primary, with Porter beating Min.) Min is good but his personality isn’t such to get national attention.
If Newsom does engineer a redistrict, I’m not sure how they gerrymander OC to gain seats unless they do these really long threads up into LA/LB and get Newport Beach and the gayborhood in the same district.
Ohio Mom
@cain: Teachers know when they have a good administrator. Their suport of your wife says everything.
Keep us posted.
Baud
Let the gerrymander wars begin
Sister Golden Bear
@Martin: Looks like accommodating anti-trans bigots is such a winning strategy.
Chetan Murthy
In 2028 she’d be 65 (<1yr older than me). We talk a lot about gerontocracy here, and if she walks that walk, it’s not a bad thing. There are youngsters (only, y’know, 50-something) with fire in their bellies, and she can support them: she doesn’t gotta run herself.
They Call Me Noni
Test
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: Massachusetts won’t be much help. We literally couldn’t produce more Democrats for Congress no matter how hard we tried.
Baud
I wonder what bribe Trump will demand.
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: Monopoly is a game that no one wins.
Melancholy Jaques
If Harris isn’t saving herself for another run at the White House, I recommend she become a firebrand, get herself on TV and hammer the enemies of democracy. She should be on at least as often as Chris Christie has been. Like Buttigieg but with her district attorney voice.
Katie Porter should have withdrawn from the primary against Schiff as soon the first round of polls came out. He was ahead by a blue mile and there is no way to close that gap without a serious bloodletting and even then probably not. We very narrowly held onto her seat; I hope the new person can continue to hold it because we need to win the house in 2026.
And that right there should be the number one thing on the minds of every Democrat, elected or otherwise. We have to have to have to win the midterms.
Melancholy Jaques
@Baud:
Why does he say if?
The Audacity of Krope
@Melancholy Jaques: Even Texas has a process to follow.
Timill
@Baud: Excellent! – if we get to see the steam crew in Tennessee…
The Audacity of Krope
Alternate take. Shiv should never hold public office again because he can’t respect election outcomes.
NotMax
@Baud
Excerpt from Network.
chemiclord
@NotMax: I’m sure the people of Ukraine would appreciate learning there are no Russians.
schrodingers_cat
@WaterGirl: How did you figure that? Why would she want that?
Geminid
@Martin: From what I gleaned from a CalMatters article about the primary, Schiff helped consolidate the Garvey vote by framing the race as one between him and Garvey. They were anti-Garvey in content but in effect helped Garvey get to second place.
But Porter got only 15% of the primary vote. That wasn’t due to Schiff’s strategy, it was due to Porter being a poor candidate. She could have admitted that to herself instead of laying it off on Schiff’s fundraising sources.
That’s why I thought Porter’s election night performance reflected poorly on her judgement. She knew what was coming and had time to prepare. Porter still had political ambitions and should have realized that her concession speech would be in effect the first speech of her next campaign. Instead she let her anger get the better of her.
The Audacity of Krope
Whether raised as a campaign issue or not, Shiv’s campaign donors are a problem. So are most politicians’ donors, but Shiv’s are an extra sort of consequential. And bad.
Scout211
Either a poor candidate or a poor campaign strategy, or more likely both.
That’s why she did not get my vote.
But I am actually open to seeing what she will bring to the governor’s race. I’m not a voter who decides a Democratic politician is “dead to me” for reasons, but I do need to be convinced.
Geminid
@Martin: So far as I know, there are only two Republican Representatives left south of Barstow– Young Kim and Ken Calvert. Kim’s district includes part of northern Orange County while Calvert’s is based in Palm Springs. I suspect Democrats can take those seats with or without a gerrymander.
One question here is whether California’s legislature will be willing to toss out the independent redistricting commission that has served the state well up to now, and has plenty of popular support. I believe that would require overriding a provision in the state’s constitution.
Texas’s legislature will face legal lroblems of their own if they try an aggressive gerrymander. I know many people think that the 1965 Voting Rights Act is a dead letter, but there is a freshly elected Democrat in Alabama and another in Louisiana to show it’s not.
cain
@Ohio Mom: thank you !
stinger
@sab: There’s a newish post up, no “happy” hash tag, but with a Mel Brooks link in one of the comments. That should count! Go for it!
Martin
@Sister Golden Bear: Well, nobody should put their faith in private universities to do anything except keep the money flowing.
But I’m not sure what your point here is. The argument being made in the prior threads was that Newsom and Pete were likely arguing that trading out *specifically* trans athletes for a Democratic victory might be a necessary trade. If we assume that’s the argument, and that the electorate would have made that trade (I seriously doubt it), would a Harris admin where the NCAA banned trans athletes but Brown was still allowing trans individuals to use bathrooms, dorms, and locker rooms be worse? Also, Brown has a medical school so the ban on trans care basically affects the entire state of Rhode Island contra what the author seems to think. It’s a bigger hit than just students.
I think the bigger issue is that so long as the only way Dems can do politics when they lose is to adopt the veneer of the GOP, then a lot of people and not just the trans community are going to get fucked over. I think you should be more mad at Newsom/Pete for thinking that signaling on trans sports will work because that’s the greater crime because it will hurt more than just the trans community. Even if we are forced to accept concessions on issues like this to get into/stay in power, we don’t have be the cheerleaders for those concessions. That’s a choice Democrats choose to make and shouldn’t. They’re allowed to keep their fucking mouth shut and talk about something that will help their constituents.
Martin
@Geminid: Oh yeah. We still have Issa, but I guess I didn’t internalize the degree to which we cleared out the OC/SD GOP field. That’s a little more approachable.
The state does still have the problem that there are very few GOP seats here to gerrymander out.
Martin
@Geminid: But yes, the threat is that CA would override the independent commission. I’m still not sure how serious this is. I think this is part threat to get Texas to back down and part signaling to Democrats that oh, yeah, we’re finally ready to fight for real. Pritzker is signaling he’s on board, New York has signaled they’re on board. Between these states countering TX 5 seats shouldn’t be too hard.
Yes, the independent commission is popular but Trump is not, and I suspect asking residents to temporarily suspend the independent commission until there is more national parity on the matter might work. We’re pretty pissed right now.
Mr. Bemused Senior
@Martin: getting rid of Darrell Issa is a worthwhile goal.
Martin
@Geminid: I’m not defending Porter here. Everyone knows what the rules are, you either play the game or you don’t. I’m not at all upset with Schiff over that. I agree that didn’t help Porter.
I think Schiff had the higher profile and didn’t really have any real weaknesses. And she gave up a House seat that she easily could have kept instead, and used that to position for the governors race. I didn’t think it was going to work from the outset and I’d rather have her than Min in this seat, tbh.
Sister Golden Bear
@Martin:
My point is that constantly treating trans people as expendable is fucking appalling. Would you nod approvingly at banning Black, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, or Muslim athletes to secure a Democratic victory.
My point is that it never stops at just banning trans people from bathrooms or sports.
My point is that conceding on trans athletes for years — instead of saying there’s little 10 collegiate trans athletes in the country, why are you obsessed with this? like other Dem politicians have recently — is how we got to having my rights and my healthcare being stripped away step by step.
My point is that a decade ago when Democratic leaders and others, such as the NBA, pushed back hard the haters backed down.
My point is that there’s no fucking evidence that sacrificing trans athletes is the recipe for a Democratic victory, so why the hell are Newsom and Pete offering it up unbidden.
My point is that I’m fucking tired of it being assumed that we’re expendable for the “greater good.”
Martin
@Sister Golden Bear:
Yes, you’re correct we don’t ban those athletes. You know what we do instead? We fucking kill them – literally kill them. Dems give up opportunities or ground on gun violence, on climate change, on vaccines, on access to healthcare, on housing, on deaths of despair, on immigrants fleeing violence, and so on. We do it ALL THE TIME, every election.
Look, I get that you’re upset about this. I am too. But let’s not pretend that the 10 NCAA athletes are the biggest victims of this stuff.
Geminid
@Martin: I didn’t think of Issa. I looked at the results for 2022 and 2024, and I’m not sure Issa can knocked out with a gerrymander. I guess if Newsom is serious he or his allies will produce a map that shows how he can be.
Reps. Calvert and Kim can be knocked out without a gerrymander. Same with Valadeo in the San Joachin Valley.
wenchacha
I generally agree with Mary Trump, and enjoy her commentary, but she sorta caught me off guard when she asked why we haven’t heard more from Kamala since the election. Mary sounded disappointed that Kamala wasn’t taking the lead, or sounding the alarms, or something.
I have no idea what would work and what would be written off as sore loserism, “we don’t need her,” Kamala is a cop, etc etc. I was excited at the prospect of her in the WH. I can understand why she may have decided to keep a low profile.