Harris is starting to increase her public appearances while Democrats figure out their next steps following the November election, which saw Republicans gaining control of Congress.
In Los Angeles, former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a significant speech on Wednesday, where she will criticize President Donald Trump openly. There is speculation about whether she will consider running for president again or decide to run for Governor of California.
During the upcoming 20th-anniversary gala for Emerge America, an organization dedicated to recruiting and training Democratic women to enter politics, Harris will be speaking. Emerge America was partially inspired by Harris’ earlier campaign for San Francisco district attorney in the early 2000s.
Her speech comes the day after Trump reached 100 days in office. It is expected to be her most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January following her defeat to Trump, with planned critiques of the Republican president’s handling of the economy, U.S. institutions and foreign policy.
Harris is ramping up her public presence as Democrats nationally search for a path forward after November’s election, in which Republicans also won control of Congress. While a slate of high-profile Democrats — from governors to businessmen — seek leadership roles within the party, the former vice president retains unique influence and would reshape any future race she chooses to enter.
Harris, a former state attorney general and U.S. senator from California, has not discouraged speculation that she might enter the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom, himself a potential contender for president. And she has not ruled out another run for the White House.
She continues to fundraise, using a joint committee that includes Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee and state Democratic parties. The committee, the Harris Victory Fund, reported having about $4.5 million on hand at the end of March, according to federal records.
In recent fundraising emails, Harris has been blunt about the need for Democrats to unify ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Democrats need to “organize and stop Trump’s agenda while electing Democrats everywhere,” she wrote in recent emails. “There has never been a more important time for a strong Democratic Party — one that is willing to stand up to Donald Trump, Elon Musk and what they are doing to this country.”
The event will mark a homecoming of sorts. Harris, who lives in Los Angeles, is from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Emerge America’s gala begins at 7 p.m. PDT, 10 p.m. EDT.
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