UC professor talks to L.A. Times about next steps for former veep

The Los Angeles Times turned to a political scientist at the University of Cincinnati to explain what the future might hold for former Vice President Kamala Harris after losing the presidential election last year to Donald Trump.

Harris made headlines this week after announcing she has no plans to run for governor of California.

Portait of Gregory Winger.

UC Assistant Professor Gregory H. Winger. Photo/Provided

UC Assistant Professor Gregory H. Winger said history suggest Harris might not be through with politics or public service. 

“Even if it isn’t the governorship of California, the idea of wanting something else other than the 2024 election to be the last thing Kamala Harris ever did would be very appealing,” he told the L.A. Times.

Winger said his research has found that losers of elections often are more active publicly than winners in their post-White House years since their time in office ended on a sour note.

“It’s kind of a frustrated ambition that then leads into higher activity,” Winger said.

Winger teaches in UC's School of Public and International Affairs, where he studies cybersecurity and U.S. foreign policy, among other subjects. He is a former Fulbright fellow in the Philippines whose work has been published in outlets such as “Foreign Affairs,“ “Foreign Policy Analysis,“ and “Armed Forces & Society.“

Read the Los Angeles Times story.

Featured image at top: UC Assistant Professor Gregory H. Winger talks to the Los Angeles Times about what might be in store for former Vice President Kamala Harris after her unsuccessful campaign to win election to the presidency. Photo/Unsplash

Related Stories

1

Cincinnati sees record rainfall in weekend deluge

July 21, 2026

The Cincinnati Enquirer talks to UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Associate Professor Patrick Ray for context about a July 17 rainstorm that dumped a record amount of rain on parts of Cincinnati.

2

Putting preschool into perspective

July 20, 2026

Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.

3

Ticks that survive pesticides can withstand colder winters

July 17, 2026

Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them expand their range farther north, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.