In SF, Kamala Harris Retakes Political Stage to Warn of Constitutional Crisis

In her first major political speech since leaving office in January, former Vice President Kamala Harris warned that in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, the constitutional system of checks and balances “have begun to buckle.”

“And if that happens,” she said, warning of a constitutional crisis, “the one check, the balance, the power that must not fail is the voice of the people.”

Her remarks at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on Wednesday night were delivered at the 20th anniversary gala of Emerge America, a nonprofit that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for political office.

“What we are, in fact, witnessing is a high-velocity event,” Harris said. “Where a vessel is being used for the swift implementation of an agenda that has been decades in the making.”

Harris sharply criticized Trump’s “reckless” tariffs and said they are hurting workers and families, calling it “the greatest man-made economic crisis in modern presidential history.”

She told the crowd that Trump and his allies are counting on fear to divide the country.

“But what they’re overlooking, what they have overlooked, is that fear is not the only thing that’s contagious,” she said. “Courage is contagious.”

She pointed to examples of resistance she found inspiring — including Americans protesting possible cuts to Social Security and Medicaid, and elected officials like Sens. Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have been vocal against Trump’s policies.

Harris did not reveal what her political future holds, but in a surprise appearance at a national conference of Black women leaders in Orange County earlier this month, she said: “I’ll see you out there. I’m not going anywhere.”

Sources close to Harris say she’s mulling a run for California governor. Politico reported last month that she plans to make a decision by the end of summer.

A run for governor would preclude another race for president in 2028, since the presidential campaign will be well underway by the time Californians vote for governor in 2026.

Amanda Gallo of Oakland, who attended the San Francisco event, said that she liked the speech and that the message of uniting against Trump’s agenda resonated with her.

“She didn’t win the office, but she’s still leading — by example, leading by the values of our country,” Gallo said. “I can’t wait to see what she does next.” Gallo added that she hopes Harris runs for governor.

Andrea Dew Steele, who founded Emerge America in 2005, helped Harris in her first run for office, a successful campaign for San Francisco district attorney in 2003. That same year, she co-founded Emerge California, whose graduates include former San Francisco Mayor London Breed and former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff.

Steele said she’s excited by the prospect of Harris running for governor.

“We need somebody who can go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump,” Steele said. “And we saw her do that during the election, during the debate. She is a prosecutor. I think she could really prosecute that case — as governor of California. I certainly would love to see her run.”

If Harris runs, it could upend the gubernatorial campaign for one Emerge graduate: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

“I adore Eleni and I’d love to see her as governor as well,” said Steele, but “it’s going to be really tough” to run against Harris’ statewide name recognition, fundraising network and history of electoral wins.

Kounalakis, who attended the Emerge event, called Harris a close friend, adding that “it’s absolutely appropriate that she have time to get readjusted and figure out what her leadership can mean to the country and in the state of California.”

Two other Democrats already in the governor’s race — former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — have signaled they’ll remain in the race whether or not Harris decides to run. Another announced candidate, former Rep. Katie Porter, attended Wednesday night’s event. Her campaign has indicated she would not run against Harris.

A recent poll by Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill shows Harris would be an instant front-runner if she enters the gubernatorial race. But, as Richard Nixon discovered in 1962, being vice president does not guarantee you can run for governor of California and win.

Harris’ choice to deliver remarks in San Francisco, the city that launched her political career, also represented something of a homecoming. She has kept a relatively low profile since losing the November election, with Wednesday’s speech marking her strongest rebuke of Trump’s presidency.

“Things are probably going to get worse before they get better,” Harris told the crowd in closing. “But we are ready for it.”