Overview

• Willie Brown warns that Harris would struggle to secure statewide victory in a 2026 governor’s race given her executive résumé.
• In interviews with Jon Slavet and Elex Michaelson, he emphasized her proficiency in legal roles over executive leadership.
• Brown disclosed that he previously urged Harris to seek attorney general rather than vice president in 2020 and noted she never contacted him afterward.
• Harris faces a Democratic primary with more than a dozen contenders to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom and must decide by the end of summer.
• Questions about her statewide appeal and mixed polling results reinforce party and donor skepticism about her suitability for governor.