For some people, this summer will be a moment of relaxation: picnics, barbecues, vacations. For others, a crazy fight between work and swimming meets, baseball tournaments or purchases before the shelves undress and Trump tariffs have a price of everything without scope.
For Kamala Harris, it's a time to decide.
The former vice president is expected to spend a part of his summer weighing several options, either to withdraw from politics after more than 20 years looking for an elected office, either to set up a 2026 offer for the governor of California or if he must make a third attempt in the White House in 2028.
According to several who have spoken with Harris, she is really undecided, divided between concern and affection for her native status and a non -motionless desire to be president.
Of the three options, the most pressing is whether to enter the race to replace his partner Democrat, the term Limited Gavin Newsom, as governor.
The contest is already underway: 10 serious candidates (in general terms) have so far announced their candidates. While the recognition of almost universal name of Harris and the fundraising base nationwide allow it to wait more than others, a serious offer of governor will take more than a few months to ride.
That forces a decision and a public announcement sooner rather than later.
If you run, one thing that Harris should avoid at all costs is anything that sends arrogance, right or anything less than 100% commitment to serve as governor. It is not difficult to imagine that one of his first expressions as a candidate undertakes to fulfill a complete period of four years and promising not to use the office as an interim step towards another presidential offer.
Otherwise, voters have all the reasons for sending the Harris packaging. California does not need another governor with a wandering political eye.
Another imperative that Harris faces is to offer a convincing reason because She wants to be governor. Find the office for the same reason why climbers face Mount Everest, because he is there, he will not.
The story offers a lesson.
In November 1979, Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy was preparing to launch a general offer of president against the unpopular head, Jimmy Carter. He gave a television interview that was so horrible legendary that it has become an object lesson on how No To start a campaign.
When asked why he wanted to be president, Kennedy paused exhausted, appearing affected. Then a two -minute and long breath response that mentioned natural resources, technology, innovation, productivity, inflation, energy, unemployment and economy, among other things were worried. His response was lucid as a fog and inspiring bank as a celery stem.
“Kennedy was on a rocket ship,” said Dan Schnur, a veteran communications strategist and political science professor, who uses Kennedy's interview as part of his study plan in USC, Pepperdine and UC Berkeley. Carter was in a terrible way, Kennedy was a political royalty and the enthusiasm for his candidacy for the democratic base “seemed to take him to the nomination.
“And then he did that interview,” Schnur recalled, “and could not answer the most basic question.”
Although Kennedy ended up giving Carter a strong challenge, he never recovered for leaving that terrible impression.
Harris should pay attention.
A recent survey by The La Times and UC Berkeley gave it an approval index of 50% among California voters, which is not exactly a number to overcome the band. Even so, she would enter the governor's career as a great favorite to at least do the runoff under the electoral system of the first two of the State. If a Republican catches the second place, Harris would be strongly positioned to win in November, given the strong democratic inclination of California.
But, again, it is not a reason for Harris to be governor.
Some of those who are close to the former vice president wonder how much he really wants or enjoyed the work.
In 2015, when the governorate and a seat in the United States Senate opened, Harris, the State Attorney General at that time, chose to look for the latter. His reasons were personal, who involved family and professional considerations, given the platform and the opportunities they offered to a Senate member.
In summary, Harris has never burned with passion for being governor of California.
That makes it even more important to explain, clearly and convincingly, why I would like to be chosen.
“You have to give an affirmative reason why you are running and why it would be good for California voters,” Schnur said. “And it's not just about building several words in a prayer.
“It is not difficult for someone as intelligent as Kamala Harris and his team to invent an laboratory phrase that proves well,” he continued. “The challenge is not writing a prayer. It is developing a central purpose that can then be explained in a prayer.”
Harris has all summer to look in and solve it. If you can't, California voters should choose someone else for their next governor.
