Harris campaigns for Democrats in close midterm races as she considers 2028 bid

Las Vegas, United States. Former vice president Kamala Harris has resumed campaigning to support Democrats in closely contested midterm elections as she considers a third presidential bid in 2028. Her five-state tour comes as Democrats seek to end Republican control of Congress on November 3.

A return to the campaign trail

Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election as the Democratic nominee, has appeared publicly relatively infrequently this year. Her campaign stops cover Nevada, Mississippi, Georgia, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.

The tour began Tuesday in Las Vegas, where Harris delivered a new campaign speech combining criticism of President Donald Trump’s conduct with the aspirational sayings that have long characterised her rhetoric. Harris was the first woman, first Black person and first Asian person to serve as vice president.

Addressing scores of Culinary Workers Union members, she appeared with Aaron Ford, the gubernatorial candidate who became Nevada’s first Black attorney general. Harris said his election would make him the first Black governor in a state west of the Mississippi.

She told supporters they faced a serious fight and accused Trump’s administration of cruelty.

“We are witnessing pure brutality come out of what is undoubtedly the most corrupt, callous and incompetent presidential administration.”

A closely contested Mississippi race

On Wednesday, Harris travelled to Columbus, Mississippi, to address supporters of Scott Colom. She led the crowd in chants emphasising the state’s importance.

Colom is attempting to become Mississippi’s first elected Democratic US senator since 1982. Polling indicates an unusually close contest against Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Harris began her remarks by sharing advice she said she offers young people she mentors: “Never let someone else’s limited ability to see your capacity be a limitation on your ambition,” she said.

She then announced that she would repeat the message and delivered it again more loudly, prompting cheers.

Party support and presidential questions

Harris’s renewed campaigning is likely to revive discussion of her political plans as a potentially crowded Democratic contest for 2028 takes shape. Should she enter, she would probably rank among its most prominent candidates.

Like Trump, who is travelling across the country to campaign for Republicans, Harris lacks broad popularity among voters. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 39% of Americans held a favourable view of her. That assessment varied sharply by party affiliation: 82% of Democrats viewed her favourably, alongside 7% of Republicans and 33% of independents.

Elaine Kamarck, a Brookings Institution senior fellow who also serves on the Democratic National Committee, said parties deploy their most prominent campaigners in an election’s closing stages. She said that explained the campaigning by both Harris and Trump.