Kamala Harris has announced that she is stepping away from electoral politics, declaring in a candid interview with Stephen Colbert that she currently has no desire to return to “the system,” which she called “broken.”
The former vice president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday (July 31) in her first televised interview since losing the election to Donald Trump last November.
The interview came just one day after Harris confirmed she would not run for governor of California, a race in which she had been widely expected to lead, The Guardian reports.
“Recently I made the decision that I just – for now – I don’t want to go back in the system. I think it’s broken,” she told Colbert, prompting an audible groan from the studio audience. Colbert later described her remark as “harrowing.”
“Well, but it’s also evident, isn’t it?” she replied.
“Capitulation” and a broken system
Describing herself as a “devout public servant,” Harris lamented the state of American democracy: “I always believed, that as fragile as our democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles. And I think right now that they’re not as strong as they need to be.
"And for now, I don’t want to go back into that system.”
She cited the apparent "capitulation" by institutions and individuals who once saw themselves as guardians of democracy: “Perhaps it’s naive of me … there should be many who consider themselves to be guardians of our system and our democracy who just capitulated, and I didn’t see that coming.”
Harris added: “I think there are a lot of people who think they are riding out the storm as an excuse to be feckless.”
Asked if she had predicted Trump’s recent actions, such as cutting Medicaid or defying court orders, she said: “What I did not predict was the capitulation.”
“Not transactional”
Harris also confirmed that she is not planning to run for California governor in the upcoming election cycle, despite early polling showing her as a frontrunner.
“For now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office,” she said in a statement earlier this week.
On Colbert’s show, she elaborated further and revealed what's next for her, saying: “I want to travel the country. I want to listen to people. I want to talk with people. And I don’t want it to be transactional where I’m asking for their vote.”
Instead, Harris said she wants to spend time listening and reconnecting, “to remind [people] of their power,” particularly in a political climate where many feel “deflated and despondent and afraid.”
"I’m eager to reconnect with the American people, support Democratic candidates nationwide who are committed to bold leadership, and share more about my next steps in the months to come," she added.
“107 Days” and political reflection
The interview also served as a launchpad for Harris’s forthcoming book, 107 Days, due to hit shelves September. The memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at her short-lived 2024 presidential run, which began after Joe Biden withdrew from the race late in the campaign.
“I was so conscious and aware of the short time that we had,” she told Colbert, emphasizing the intensity of that final stretch.
Speaking about her post-election mindset, Harris admitted it took months before she could face the news again: “You know, I’m just not into self-mutilation.” Instead, she turned to cooking shows — “The Kitchen” being a favorite — for respite.
Leadership vacuum and the future of the Democratic Party
When asked to name the current leader of the Democratic Party, Harris declined: “It is a mistake for us who want to figure out how to get out and through this and get out of it to put it on the shoulders of any one person.
"It’s really on all of our shoulders. It really is.”
Though she has exited the 2026 California governor’s race, Harris did not rule out future political activity, including a potential third White House run. According to sources familiar with her thinking, she is also considering launching a nonprofit or policy think tank, and is expected to be a high-profile surrogate in the 2026 midterms, The Guardian adds.
Harris’ decision to step back comes at a pivotal moment for the Democratic Party. Her departure from the gubernatorial field opens up the race for a crowded slate of contenders, including Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Eleni Kounalakis, and Katie Porter. Republicans such as Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, along with Trump ally Ric Grenell, are also reportedly eyeing the seat.
The outcome of the race — and Harris’s role as a campaigner and influencer — will be closely watched in a political climate defined by a second Trump presidency and deep fractures within the Democratic base.
In her statement announcing she would not seek elected office, Harris acknowledged that “our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis.”
“We must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking,” she said. “Committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook.”