A recent poll by the University of California, Irvine, shows Kamala Harris leading as California’s preferred choice for governor, even though she hasn’t officially entered the race yet. The survey found that 41 percent of voters would choose Harris over an unnamed Republican candidate.
According to Politico, the poll, conducted in partnership with Truedot, revealed that 29 percent of respondents would support the unnamed Republican candidate. The remaining responses were split between undecided voters at 16 percent and those who said they wouldn’t vote at 14 percent.
Democratic donors have shown hesitation about Harris’s potential candidacy, telling POLITICO they fear her run “would be a reminder of her loss in 2024,’ despite early predictions that she would defeat Trump and the significant momentum her campaign initially showed.” Despite these concerns, Harris has been increasing her communication with longtime supporters while she considers entering the race.
Harris shows a strong lead against other candidates in separate polling
In another survey question that included seven other declared and potential candidates, Harris maintained a significant lead. The names were presented without political affiliations, and Harris came out ahead by double digits. However, 40 percent of those surveyed remained unsure about their choice.
A new UC Irvine poll shows former Vice President Kamala Harris leading hypothetical California governor matchups. Despite high name recognition, many voters and donors remain uncertain about her next move, raising questions about enthusiasm and strategy. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/y5PzDumzov
— Jessica B Pleasant (@JessieBPleasant) July 2, 2025
The former vice president has set a deadline for the end of summer to make her decision about running for governor. Her possible entry into the race has caused some Democratic donors to hold back their support from other candidates, waiting to see what Harris decides to do.
The polls were conducted by the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology in two separate waves. The first survey took place from May 27 to June 2, including 2,143 adults with a 2.9 percent margin of error. The second wave ran from May 29 to June 4, surveying 2,000 adults with a 3.6 percent margin of error.
If Harris decides to run, she would bring significant advantages to the race, including wide name recognition across the state and proven ability to raise campaign funds, particularly after questions arose about whether she could effectively challenge Trump when Biden stepped aside from the 2024 race. These factors, combined with her current polling lead, suggest she could be a strong contender in the California gubernatorial race, despite some donors’ concerns about her previous electoral performance.
