Kamala Harris was thrust into the national spotlight in the summer when President Joe Biden, about 100 days from the general election, dropped out of the race and endorsed his vice president for the job. The last-second change didn't prove to be the winning move for Democrats, as Harris lost to former President Donald Trump, leaving the former US Senator from California without a clear direction in her political future. More than a month removed from that election loss, even the VP's team believes that the future remains uncertain, according to reporting from CNN. The outlet reported on Sunday that the tight-knit circle close to Harris is split between two options: run for president again in 2028, or shift ambitions to the race to become California's Governor in 2026. There is one consensus in that group, CNN reports — she can't do both. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, on the campus of Howard University in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A win in the 2026 California Gubernatorial race would mean she would have to launch a presidential bid just months, maybe weeks, after being sworn in. The poor optics from an overly ambitious move such as that would likely leave her hypothetical presidential campaign dead on arrival. Leaving a run for governor on the table, however, is a riskier proposition. With Trump unable to run for a third term, Democrats are viewing 2028 as a fresh slate in terms of candidates. Names like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and current CA Gov. Gavin Newsom are among the names being floated in what's sure to be a crowded field. With the ground Harris made up this year after replacing Biden and her historic fundraising, some on her team believe she'd be a strong candidate to win a Democratic primary in 2028. If voters had buyer's remorse with a second Trump administration, Harris could present as a return to normalcy, especially if her general election opponent was Vice President-elect JD Vance. Vice President-elect JD Vance, R-Ohio, waves as his wife Usha Vance looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) “Running for governor would be a step down, and it would interfere with her ability to run for president again,” one person close to Harris told CNN. “I don’t know if she’s going to run for president again, but a shot at running for president again is worth giving up running for governor.” But her ability to launch a successful campaign in 2028 is far from a certainty, and if Harris failed to make it out of a crowded primary — as she did in 2020 — then passing on a chance to be governor of the country's most populous state would be viewed as a missed opportunity of the greatest degree. Meanwhile, Harris — the nominee for California governor — looks to be a much safer call in comparison. A poll conducted shortly after the November election showed that nearly half of California voters would support her as a candidate. The CNN report suggests that Harris could produce a "crowd-clearing effect" in that Democrat-heavy race, while some are attempting to deter her from the statewide election, labeling it as a "consolation prize." The decision isn't clear and obvious, even among Harris' staff. What is clear, however, is that the decision needs to be made quickly, as the stove is heating up for the race to become California's next governor.