Longtime Trump ally and U.S. envoy for special missions Richard Grenell said he would consider running for California governor if Kamala Harris launches a campaign, stirring fresh speculation about a Republican challenge in the deep-blue state.
Grenell, a longtime Trump adviser who served as ambassador to Germany and as acting director of national intelligence, pointed to the weakness of a rumored Harris gubernatorial campaign after her substantial defeat to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
“If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage and hundreds of millions of dollars in educating the voters of how terrible she is, that it’s a new day in California, and that the Republican actually has a shot, and I wouldn’t say no,” Grenell told reporters in Munich.
Grenell previously explored a gubernatorial bid in 2021 but did not file before the deadline. He has since remained active in the Golden State, launching a nonprofit called Fix California to change the state’s leftist political landscape.
Harris carried California by more than 20 points in 2024.
Grenell has held multiple posts under President Trump, notably traveling on special assignments abroad. During one such trip, he met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and helped secure the release of six hostages.
In California, he has appeared alongside local leaders to survey wildfire damage in Los Angeles County and examine restoration efforts, maintaining a steady presence as discussions around a potential gubernatorial bid continue.
Harris, who served as vice president until her term ended last month, has kept her intentions close to the vest despite multiple appearances across Los Angeles. She has only briefly alluded to any future plans, brushing off direct questions about a statewide run.
Still, according to POLITICO, she has privately indicated to aides that running for California’s highest office is a possibility.
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