Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom is term-limited and cannot run for another term in office in 2026, which has sparked ample speculation about who his eventual replacement might be.

A new poll shows that, if she decided to run, former Vice President Kamala Harris would be the overwhelming favorite to succeed Newsom as California's governor with nearly 60% support from the state's Democratic voters, Breitbart reported.

Though she has not yet publicly announced any plans, there are strong rumors that the failed 2024 Democratic presidential nominee is considering mounting either a gubernatorial run in her home state in 2026 -- where she was previously elected as a district attorney, attorney general, and U.S. senator -- or another bid for the White House in 2028.

Harris holds strong lead in prospective poll

The Hill, in conjunction with Emerson College Polling and Inside California Politics, surveyed nearly 1,000 registered voters in California this week, including nearly 500 registered Democrats, and found that former VP Harris would be the unquestionable front-runner to replace Gov. Newsom if she decided to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race.

The pollsters learned that roughly 57% of Democratic voters in the state would back Harris in the primary election if she were a candidate, placing her far ahead of the likely second-place prospective candidate, former Rep. Katie Porter, who drew just 9% support following her unsuccessful Senate run last year.

Following behind Harris and Porter and tied for third place with 4% support were Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor and California Assembly speaker, along with current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalaki, while a substantial 17% of respondents remained undecided about who they would support.

"If Vice President Harris enters the Democratic Primary, she would start as the clear favorite," Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said. "Without Harris in the race, the primary is wide open."

Indeed, absent a Harris candidacy, Porter moved to the front of the pack with 21%, with Villaraigosa and Kounalaki trailing behind at 9% and 5%, respectively, though nearly half of the state's Democratic voters, 45%, would be undecided.

Would Harris face any real competition?

That poll finding former VP Harris to be the overwhelming favorite to replace Gov. Newsom, if she decides to run, seems to confirm what Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a recent interview while shutting down speculation that he was contemplating a gubernatorial bid of his own, according to Fox News.

"Kamala Harris would be a great governor," Bonta said. "I would support her if she ran. I’ve always supported her in everything she’s done. She would be field-clearing."

However, while a Harris candidacy for governor might clear the field of Democratic competitors, the Washington Examiner reported that it might actually attract competition from a certain prominent Republican who originally hails from Los Angeles -- Ric Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany who now serves as President Donald Trump's top envoy for "special missions" and hot spots around the globe.

"That is a hot topic. I'll make a little news, depends on if Kamala Harris runs," Grenell told reporters at the Munich Security Conference in Germany when asked about the California race in 2026. "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.'"

Harris not divulging future plans yet

As for what Harris might be planning, she isn't yet saying, and The Hill noted that she told reporters after visiting areas in L.A. damaged by recent wildfires, "I have been home for two weeks and three days. My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them."

"I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground," she added.