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According to polls, Harris has a good chance of becoming the next governor of California. The state is at the forefront of resistance against Trump.
Sacramento – The list of California governors enjoys a certain level of fame: from Ronald Reagan to acting legend Arnold Schwarzenegger. Democrat Kamala Harris, who lost the US election to Donald Trump, could soon join the list as the first female governor.
California gubernatorial election 2026: Harris could follow in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s footsteps
Harris has not yet commented on her future career path, but a survey by the University of California and the Los Angeles Timesconducted between October 22 and 29, shows Harris with a significant lead over the other candidates in the 2026 California gubernatorial election. Current Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run again due to term limits.
No wonder: Before becoming vice president, Harris had a successful career in California politics, where she served as district attorney of San Francisco and later as attorney general and senator.
Had to admit defeat to Donald Trump: Kamala Harris could become governor of California in two years. © SAUL LOEB / AFP
How Newsweek reported, about 72 percent of Democrats said they were very likely or somewhat likely to support Harris for governor, compared to eight percent of Republicans and 38 percent of independents with no party preference. Democrats in the state have a 2-1 advantage over Republicans in registration.
Overall, the poll indicated 46 percent of likely voters would somewhat (13 percent) or very (33 percent) support her for governor in 2026. “Almost every voter in this state has an opinion about her, and that’s really the big advantage she brings to early polling,” said Mark DiCamillo, the poll director. “None of the other candidates are as well known to the electorate.” 4,838 registered voters in California took part in the survey. The error rate was around two percentage points.
Kamala Harris could follow in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s footsteps as governor of California. (Archive photo) © Jordan Strauss/Invision via AP/dpa
California at the forefront of resistance: Democrats want to make Trump’s term in office more difficult
The state of California got in line shortly after the election the forefront of resistance to Trump’s new term in office. With Trump’s return to the White House, the US state wants to once again take the lead in the fight against the Republican right-wing populist. In doing so, the “Golden State” is testing the power of states governed by Democrats to prevent mass deportations, defend abortion rights and combat climate change.
In his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump tried to overturn an exception that allows California to have stricter environmental protection requirements compared to the US. With the Republican’s clear victory in the election on November 5th against the Democrats’ Harris, a new tug of war is emerging. Many fear that Trump will try to take action against the abortion pill.
Individual US states have power: California wants to challenge Trump’s future measures
However, it is very likely that there would be lawsuits against such measures – the states have considerable power under the US Constitution. “The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack – and we will not stand idle,” said California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom a day after the US election. California is prepared to “fight in court.” The Democratic politician praised the “federalism” in the USA, which gives the country’s 50 states a lot of leeway in self-government.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he is preparing to legally challenge actions by a future Trump administration whenever necessary. “We experienced Trump 1.0. We know what he’s capable of,” he continued. “No matter what the incoming administration has in store,” California will continue to be a watchdog and push back on abuses of power.
Governors and attorneys general from other liberal states, including New York, Illinois, Oregon and Washington, also made similar statements. “If you try to harm the people of New York or restrict their rights, I will fight you every step of the way,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “If you’re targeting my people, then you’re targeting me,” said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. There are already discussions to coordinate the action against Trump in court.
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In the face of forming resistance: Trump angry about statements from Golden State
States can ask federal judges to freeze government policies that potentially violate the Constitution. This was used extensively during Trump’s first presidency and thwarted the Republican’s plans to reverse some of his predecessor Barack Obama’s decisions on migration or health policy.
California alone filed more than 100 lawsuits against Trump’s policies during his first term in office. Under President Joe Biden, many Republican states adopted this delaying tactic
