How Kamala Harris could soon be America's second most powerful politician
If Kamala Harris had her way, she would be two weeks into her time in the White House.
Instead, she is back in California, contemplating her next move.
In two years time, the second most powerful office in the United States will become vacant, and were she to step forward, she would automatically be a frontrunner.
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Kamala Harris is now a private citizen after her election defeat. AP
California is America's biggest state, and the governor there has far more power than she ever had as vice president.
Already Harris is being asked if she will run for governor.
"I have been home for two weeks and three days," she said yesterday.
"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, and most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis and do what I can do to to offer any assistance, even if it is a kind word along the way."
Harris was speaking at a shelter for Los Angeles residents displaced by last month's devastating wildfires.
It is the sort of place it is common to see politicians at - though Harris is right now a private citizen with no stated ambition.
But as California's most prominent politician, she is already scaring off potential rivals to the position.
Kamala Harris may run for governor of California. AP
Earlier this week state attorney-general Rob Bonta, a rumoured contender for the position, said he would not run for the position.
Bonta then took the unusual step of endorsing Harris.
"I would support her if she ran, I've always supported her in everything she's done," he told Politico.
"She would be field-clearing."
Harris may be coming off a devastating loss in last year's presidential election, but she would be hard to beat in her home state.
In November she won three million more votes than Trump in California, America's largest state.
She has also won in statewide elections three times.
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Kamala Harris won her home state of California comfortably, even as she lost the election. AP
Harris has the uncommon advantage of universal name recognition, something politicians struggle to achieve in such a big state.
It's little wonder two big-name actors have been elected there.
And California has shown little sign of brushing off Democrats, who have dominated politics there.
The most noteworthy rumoured candidate for the Republicans is Brian Dahle, the state senator who lost in the last election by two million votes.
Harris may however have her sights on a bigger prize.
Having just a few months to campaign in 2024 clearly hurt her chances, and she may be keen to launch a full-scale presidential campaign for 2028.
No losing Democratic candidate has won the nomination for president a second time since Adlai Stevenson in 1956.
He wasn't elected president.
Losing presidential candidates don't normally launch campaigns for new offices.
Some stay in the jobs they already held, like Senators John Kerry, John McCain and George McGovern.
And others position themselves as elder statespeople of the party, like Hillary Clinton or Bob Dole.
Al Gore took it one step further by becoming a vocal advocate for action on climate change, winning a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar by doing so.
Mitt Romney made the unusual move of running for another office after his presidential election defeat. AP
In recent memory only Mitt Romney has attempted a political second act post-defeat.
The former governor of Massachusetts served a single term as senator of Utah but decided not to run for re-election.
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