Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre whether Vice President Kamala Harris will run for governor if the 2024 election “doesn’t go her way.”
Harris reportedly “joked to friends” that she would run for governor of California when Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final term ends in 2026, according to The Gazette. People close to Harris have denied these reports.
“Have you heard … that Vice President Harris is telling friends that she may go back to California and run for governor if the election does not go her way?” Doocy asked during Thursday’s briefing.
“That is news to me. I would say this, the vice president has been a great partner to this president. He is appreciative of all the work she has done. It is impressive what she has been able to do on these tours she has done on reproductive rights, on gun violence, to fight gun violence across the country, prevention obviously and leading in the first historic office coming out of the White House. She has been an amazing partner and the president appreciates her leadership and that’s all I’ll say to that.”
“That did not happen,” Harris spokeswoman Kirsten Allen said in response to the reports. “This November, the vice president will be preparing to be inaugurated for the second term of the Biden-Harris administration.” (RELATED: Kamala Harris Asked Point-Blank Why The Biden Administration Is So Unpopular)
Harris has had abysmal approval ratings throughout her vice presidency, where it currently stands at 38.2%, according to FiveThirtyEight. Her disapproval rating currently stands at 51.3%. Many Americans have felt “unsatisfied” with Harris and have pondered what she has done throughout her time in office.
The vice president garnered the lowest vice-presidential favorability rating in NBC News poll history with a net-negative rating of -17 in June 2023. Among the 1,000 people surveyed, 32% had a positive view of Harris and 49% had a negative view of her, including 39% who had a “very negative view.”
Doocy further asked the press secretary about Biden’s celebration of the Dow Jones Industrial Average stock index hitting 40,000 for the first time Thursday, despite him previously saying it is not an indicator of the economy’s state. Jean-Pierre said the president’s economic policies are effective and provide contentment for the American people.