Kamala Harris is ramping up her involvement in the 2026 midterms, but a growing list of Democratic candidates say they would rather campaign without her.
In Iowa, both of the party’s leading statewide candidates have rejected the idea of appearing with the former vice president. Asked by reporters in Cedar Rapids whether Harris should campaign for him, Senate candidate Josh Turek answered simply, “No.” Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand said he does not want Harris or former President Joe Biden appearing with him.
In Alaska, Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola turned down a fundraising solicitation Harris had sent out on her behalf.
In Wisconsin, congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke was direct about it. Running against incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the state’s competitive Third Congressional District, Cooke told Politico: “I received 9,000 more votes than Harris in 2024. I don’t need anyone to come and campaign with me in my district. I do the work of building relationships – including across the aisle – on my own.”
Not every Democrat is keeping her at arm’s length. Harris is planning to attend a canvass launch next month in Las Vegas alongside Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is running for governor. In an interview Tuesday, Ford said her presence was simply what “anyone who is interested in 2028 should do.”
That same day, Harris endorsed Rep. Chris Pappas in his New Hampshire Senate bid and inserted herself into three House races: two in Democratic-leaning California districts and one in a solidly Republican Tennessee district.
Harris says she understands
Asked about the candidates keeping their distance, Harris told MS NOW’s Peter Alexander on Thursday that she isn’t bothered by it.
“I would expect nothing less,” Harris said, adding: “Bottom line, we need to win. I have run locally, I’ve run for statewide office and obviously nationally, and these candidates know what they need to do to win. And I would expect nothing less.”
She said she still looks forward to “being on the trail and helping folks” in races where she is wanted, and told Alexander that “’28 doesn’t matter if we don’t win ’26.”
2028 questions linger
Asked earlier this year whether she would run for president again in 2028, Harris said only, “I’m thinking about it.”
Betting markets currently rate her chances of winning the Democratic nomination fourth among prospective contenders, at 10% on Polymarket, trailing Jon Ossoff at 20%, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 19%, and Gavin Newsom at 16%. Among all candidates’ odds of winning the 2028 general election outright, she ranks tenth, behind those three plus several others, including Michelle Obama.
