It is a weird thing, honestly, to go from the most powerful office in the world to... whatever comes next. One minute you're the Vice President of the United States, surrounded by Secret Service and flying on Air Force Two, and the next, you're a private citizen in Brentwood trying to figure out which boxes contain the kitchen towels.
Since leaving the Naval Observatory in January 2025, people have been buzzing about what does Kamala Harris do now and whether she’s actually done with politics. The short answer? Not even close. She is currently in the middle of a massive, multi-city book tour for her new memoir, 107 Days, which dropped this past September.
If you haven't seen the headlines, she’s basically been crisscrossing the country. Just this week, she was in Jackson, Mississippi, at Thalia Mara Hall. It wasn't some stuffy policy lecture, either. She was on stage with comedian Rita Brent, laughing, taking questions, and getting a key to the city from Mayor John Horhn. It feels a lot like a campaign trail, even if there isn't an election on the ballot today.
The Reality of Life After the Vice Presidency
Life after the White House for Harris has been a mix of strategic silence and sudden, sharp bursts of public activity. After the 2024 loss to Donald Trump—where the ticket pulled 226 electoral votes to his 312—she took a beat. Who wouldn't? A 107-day sprint for the presidency is enough to burn anyone out.
But by the summer of 2025, the "What's next?" question reached a fever pitch.
For a few months, everyone in California was convinced she was going to run for Governor in 2026 to succeed Gavin Newsom. It made sense on paper. She’s got the name ID, the fundraising muscle, and she’s already been the state's Attorney General. But in July 2025, she officially pulled the plug on those rumors. She released a statement saying her heart basically wasn't in Sacramento. She’s looking at a bigger stage.
"For now, my leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office," Harris said.
That "for now" is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
The Book Tour: 107 Days and the 2028 Horizon
So, what does Kamala Harris do now on a day-to-day basis? Right now, she’s an author and a party elder. Her book 107 Days is a behind-the-scenes look at the shortest presidential campaign in modern history. It’s her way of framing the narrative of what happened in 2024 before someone else does it for her.
Where she's been lately:
- Jackson, Mississippi: Received a key to the city and spoke at a sold-out event.
- Chicago, Illinois: Spoke at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event just yesterday, January 16, 2026.
- Los Angeles: Reconnecting with Hollywood donors and power brokers like Bryan Lourd.
She’s using these appearances to stay relevant. At the MLK Day event in Chicago, she wasn't just talking about history; she was swinging at the current administration. She spoke out about the killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, using the phrase "sick and tired" to describe the national mood. This isn't the behavior of someone who wants to retire and grow roses. It’s the behavior of a front-runner for the 2028 Democratic nomination.
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Why She Skipped the Governor's Race
A lot of political junkies were shocked she didn't jump into the 2026 California race. But honestly, if you want to be President in 2028, being Governor of California is a trap. You have to deal with high taxes, homelessness, and local scandals that can be weaponized against you in a national primary.
By staying out, she avoids the "Sacramento sludge." She can spend 2026 helping other Democrats get elected, building up "chits" or political favors that she can cash in later. She’s already promised to be in the fight for the 2026 midterms, telling supporters she wants to compete "in every state, every district."
The 2028 Elephant in the Room
You can't talk about what does Kamala Harris do now without talking about 2028. Even though she lost in 2024, many in the party feel she was dealt a bad hand. She only had three months to build a campaign from scratch after Joe Biden stepped aside.
She’s currently leading in early (and admittedly very speculative) 2028 polls. But it won't be a coronation. Names like Josh Shapiro, Gretchen Whitmer, and even her former running mate Tim Walz are constantly floating around.
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What she’s focusing on:
- Voter Mobilization: Trying to figure out why 90 million people stayed home in 2024.
- Reproductive Rights: This remains her strongest policy lane.
- Party Unity: Trying to keep the "Blue Wall" from crumbling further.
Is she still in D.C.?
Sorta. While she spends a lot of time in California, she still maintains a massive footprint in the national conversation. She doesn't have the "Vice President" title anymore, but she has the email list and the donor network.
Her life now is basically a high-stakes balancing act. She has to stay visible enough so the party doesn't move on to a "fresh face," but she can't be so loud that she becomes a lightning rod for the GOP before the primary even starts.
Actionable Steps to Track Her Next Move
If you're trying to keep up with her trajectory, don't just look at the news—look at where she's spending her time.
- Watch the 2026 Midterms: If Harris is out campaigning for House candidates in swing districts like PA-07 or AZ-06, she’s 100% running in 2028.
- Monitor her Foundation work: Rumors are swirling that she might launch a formal nonprofit or policy institute focused on voting rights. If that happens, it’s her campaign-in-waiting.
- Read the book: 107 Days isn't just a memoir; it's a roadmap of the arguments she’ll use in the next primary.
She’s basically a free agent for the first time in twenty years. No more tie-breaking votes in the Senate, no more daily briefings in the Oval. Just the road, a microphone, and a very long memory.
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Next Steps for You:
To see how her current influence is shaping the next election cycle, you should check the latest Democratic National Committee (DNC) speaker schedules for the 2026 midterms. You can also follow the FEC filings for her "Harris for President" committee to see how much of that 2024 war chest is being repurposed for future "leadership PAC" activities.