Hostin Questions Harris Presidential Path, Suggests California Governor Alternative

"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin said Monday that she questions whether the presidency is the right position for Kamala Harris and suggested the former vice president consider running for California governor instead. Hostin made the comments during a discussion about Rep. Eric Swalwell's exit from the California gubernatorial race following sexual assault allegations.

Hostin framed the California governorship as a position of comparable scale to the presidency. She noted that California's economy ranks as the world's fourth-largest, with a gross domestic product of $4.25 trillion—larger than Japan's economy. "I'd like to see Kamala Harris maybe put her hat back in the ring for Governor of California," Hostin said. "I know that she's talked about being President—I don't know if that's the right position for her—but my goodness, she certainly knows California."

Co-host Ana Navarro immediately noted a practical obstacle to Hostin's suggestion. The deadline to declare candidacy for California's gubernatorial race was March 6, 2026, making Harris ineligible to enter at this stage. California's primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026.

The exchange occurred as the co-hosts discussed Swalwell's decision to withdraw from the Democratic primary for governor. Swalwell had been a leading Democratic candidate before allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. His attorney has denied the misconduct claims, stating only that the congressman acknowledged "lapses in judgment."

Context

Harris served as California's attorney general from 2003 to 2011 and as the state's U.S. senator from 2017 to 2021 before becoming vice president under President Joe Biden. Her tenure as vice president ended on January 20, 2025. California's gubernatorial elections occur every four years, with the previous election held in 2022. The state's economy comparison underscores the scale of California's governance—at $4.25 trillion in GDP, it would rank as the world's fourth-largest economy if measured independently, behind only the United States, China, and Germany.

What's Next

Harris's political future remains uncertain following her departure from the vice presidency. With the California gubernatorial race deadline passed, any potential return to state politics would require waiting until the next election cycle. Swalwell's withdrawal from the race leaves the Democratic primary field open, and the June 2 primary will determine which candidates advance to the general election. Harris has not publicly responded to Hostin's suggestion.