LOS ANGELES : Kamala Harris will not run for governor of California next year, she announced Wednesday, leaving the door open to another White House bid in 2028 as the former vice president considers her political future following her loss to Donald Trump last fall.

Harris has kept her counsel close for months as she weighed whether to enter the crowded field of contenders who are vying to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). The Oakland native returned to her home state in January after attending the inauguration of Trump, whom she faced in 2024 after Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race and backed her as his successor.

Having ruled out a run for governor, Harris is exploring the prospects of forming new groups to keep her involved in politics and positioned to advocate for the ideas she championed during her 2024 campaign.

“Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation’s history, and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear,” Harris said in a statement. “I am a devout public servant, and from the earliest days of my career, I have believed that the best way I could make a difference in people’s lives and fight for a better future was to improve the system from within. And it has been a profound honor to do that work and serve the people of California and our nation — as a prosecutor, Attorney General, United States Senator, and Vice President.” She said that in recent months, she has given “serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor.”

“I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,” she said in the statement.

The former vice president passed up the opportunity to run for governor once before when she chose instead to run for the U.S. Senate, which she and her advisers concluded was a better fit for her national policy interests and her investigative and prosecutorial background as the state’s former attorney general.

Although she was said to be intrigued by the opportunity to help lead California’s recovery from the wind-driven fires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades and Altadena and to tackle the state’s housing crisis, she concluded that she could make a greater impact continuing her work on the national stage, according to interviews with former aides, allies and friends, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations. Many in her inner circle believed that running for governor would foreclose her chance seeking the Democratic nomination again in 2028.

“For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office,” Harris added in her statement. “I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”