Kamala Harris 2028 remains an open question, the former vice president told an audience in Detroit on Tuesday, emphasizing that the 2026 midterm elections are her priority before any decision about another White House run.
Asked directly during a fireside chat if she had decided whether to launch a 2028 presidential campaign, Harris replied that she has not made up her mind, then redirected attention to the midterms. She added, “I do sincerely believe 28 won’t matter if we don’t get through 26.”
Harris said she is spending her time traveling the country and urging people to vote ahead of the 2026 elections. “When you focus on the thing out there, you trip on the thing over here,” she told the crowd.
The exchange came at Harris’ second event of the day in Detroit, a conversation moderated by Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch NAACP and pastor of Fellowship Chapel, and Rev. Dr. Genetta Y. Hatcher, pastor of The Room Church. Before the question about a 2028 bid, Anthony encouraged attendees to cast ballots and highlighted options for early and mail-in voting. Harris was later given “take your souls to the polls” merchandise.
Earlier Tuesday, Harris joined Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed for a roundtable at Birth Detroit focused on Black maternal health and healthcare costs. She criticized President Donald Trump’s healthcare policies during the discussion and voiced support for El-Sayed.
Harris’ comments keep the door open to a future national campaign while underscoring her focus on the 2026 midterms. She became the Democratic nominee in 2024 after then-President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid, and she later lost the general election to Trump.
Kamala Harris 2028 remains undecided
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he would not run for president in 2028 if Harris enters the race. Harris, meanwhile, has accused Republicans of attempting to tilt the playing field ahead of the midterms and has said she is focused on stopping the “madness,” according to her remarks in recent appearances.
She criticized President Donald Trump’s healthcare policies during the discussion and voiced support for El-Sayed, echoing broader concerns that have surfaced in races like the Brian Fitzpatrick election tests GOP distance from Trump. As she continues to travel the country, Harris is expected to keep highlighting what she sees as threats to democratic institutions.
Her focus on voting access and participation aligns with ongoing debates in Congress and state legislatures over election laws, which are also monitored by agencies such as the Federal Election Commission. For now, though, Harris maintains that any decision about 2028 will have to wait until after the crucial 2026 midterms.
