It’s January 2026, and if you thought Kamala Harris was going to quietly fade into a law school professorship or a corporate board seat after the 2024 election, you haven’t been paying attention. Honestly, the vibe right now is anything but "retired." While the current administration in D.C. is busy with a massive reshuffle—and let’s be real, some pretty wild headlines about Greenland and tariffs—Harris is currently on a bus. A literal tour bus.
She’s crisscrossing the South right now, hitting places like Jackson, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee. It’s part of her book tour for her autobiography, "107 Days," which refers to that lightning-fast sprint of a presidential campaign she ran. But if you look at the crowds showing up at places like the Orpheum Theatre, this isn't just about selling books. It feels like the unofficial launch of the 2026 midterm strategy. Or maybe even 2028.
The "107 Days" Strategy: What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of the US news Kamala Harris coverage lately focuses on her loss, but the reality on the ground is different. People are showing up. On January 14, 2026, Jackson Mayor John Horhn actually handed her the key to the city and declared it "Kamala Harris Day." You don't see that for someone people want to forget.
The book itself is a deep dive into those three months where she took over the ticket. She’s using these appearances to hammer home a specific message: community power. In Memphis just a couple of nights ago, she told a packed house that they shouldn't let an election "take your power away." It’s a bit of a shift from her Vice Presidential tone. It’s looser. More raw. She even walked off stage to Stevie Wonder’s "Higher Ground."
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Why she’s skipping the California Governor’s race
For months, the big question in California was: will she run for Governor? Gavin Newsom is termed out, and the seat is wide open. But back in July 2025, Harris basically shut that down. She posted on X (formerly Twitter) that her leadership wouldn't be in "elected office" for now.
Why? Because running for Governor is a massive, multi-year commitment. If she wants to run for President again in 2028, being stuck in Sacramento managing a state budget might actually be a hurdle. By staying on the "national" stage through this book tour and her various keynote speeches—like the Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Breakfast in Chicago she’s doing this week—she keeps her profile global, not regional.
The 2026 Midterm Push
Don't let the "book tour" label fool you. This is a political mobilization effort. Harris has been very vocal lately about the 2026 midterms, telling supporters that Democrats need to compete "in every state, every district."
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- Grassroots Focus: She’s talking a lot about local governments, potholes, and broken sidewalks.
- The Gen Z Factor: She’s been calling out Gen Z as the "Sandwich Generation," noting they are now larger in number than Baby Boomers.
- Fundraising Power: Even out of office, her ability to draw a crowd and move the needle for local candidates is massive.
The environment for 2026 is already heating up. The Cook Political Report recently shifted 18 House seats toward the Democrats, citing Trump’s current approval ratings. Harris is positioning herself as the primary bridge between the party’s establishment and the "resistance" energy seeing a resurgence in cities like Minneapolis and Chicago.
The Elephant in the Room: 2028
Is she running? She hasn't said it. But she hasn't not said it. Fox News and other outlets have been dissecting every viral clip for "hints" of a 2028 bid. Right now, she’s the frontrunner in early polls alongside names like Josh Shapiro and Pete Buttigieg.
However, her 2024 performance is still a point of contention. Some analysts point out that she underperformed compared to some congressional incumbents in swing districts. That’s the "nuance" the headlines often miss—she has a high floor of support, but a ceiling she still hasn't quite cracked with certain demographics.
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Dealing with the Noise
It’s impossible to talk about US news Kamala Harris without mentioning the current President. Just last week, Donald Trump claimed during a CBS interview that certain news anchors wouldn't even have their jobs if Harris had won. The rhetoric is high-octane.
Harris’s response has been to stay relatively above the fray, focusing on "the light" and "community," though she did call the current administration "callous, corrupt, and incompetent" during her Memphis stop. It’s a balancing act. She’s trying to be the "hope" candidate while the country deals with some pretty intense polarization over things like ICE and the new "board of peace" in Gaza.
Actionable Insights: What to Watch Next
If you’re trying to keep up with what’s actually happening with Harris, don't just watch the Sunday shows. Watch where she travels.
- Keep an eye on the Detroit stop: She’s scheduled to be there on February 27. Michigan is a critical 2026 and 2028 battleground.
- Watch the donor lists: If you see Harris-aligned PACs starting to pour money into "non-traditional" Democratic districts, you'll know her "every district" strategy is real.
- Monitor the book tour's evolution: If the tour extends into the summer or moves into Western swing states like Arizona and Nevada, she’s definitely building a 2028 infrastructure.
- Local endorsements: Watch which midterm candidates she chooses to stand next to. These will be the "Harris Democrats" who could form her base of support in a future primary.
The next few months are going to be telling. Between the book tour and her keynote at the Chicago MLK breakfast, Harris is proving that "former" Vice President doesn't mean "inactive." She’s building something. Whether it's a movement or a campaign, we'll see soon enough.