Kamala Harris' ascent puts California back in the driver's seat of national politics

For down-ballot Democrats in California, Harris' candidacy could be the boost that they'll need to help the party win back a House majority.

• Vice President Kamala Harris' rise puts the spotlight back on her home state of California.
• In recent years, the state saw two of its top leaders no longer holding the House speaker's gavel.
• But Harris' home-state advantages could be a boon for the Golden State beyond the 2024 race.

When Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy held the speaker's gavel during their respective stints leading the US House, California's influence was felt all over Capitol Hill.

But after Pelosi left leadership and McCarthy was ousted from the speakership, the highest-ranking Californian left standing was Vice President Kamala Harris, a product of the San Francisco Bay Area who was set to run for reelection alongside President Joe Biden.

However, Biden's stunning exit from the presidential race and his endorsement of Harris has not only made her the favorite to win the Democratic nomination — but it's poised to move California back to the center of the political universe should she win in November.

Here's a look at how Harris' political ascent could shift the state's electoral performance and put it at the forefront of national politics:

Coattails, coattails, coattails

When the home-state candidate is also the presidential nominee, the candidate tends to boost their own electoral performance among voters who know them the best.

In 2020, Biden — who represented Delaware in the Senate for 36 years before serving as vice president for eight years — won his home state by 19 points. It was a notable improvement over ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who in 2016 carried the state by 11 points.

Harris, who in 2016 won her Senate race in California by more than 23 points, has the potential to serve as a strong top-of-the-ticket presence in the Golden State.

And for Democratic candidates running down-ballot in key House races, it could be the boost that they'll need to win key seats and help the party win back control of the lower chamber.

Harris' political influence in November is still an unknown, though, which is likely why most battleground candidates in critical House races in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire have so far not publicly thrown their support behind her candidacy.

However, Rep. Mike Levin, who represents the swing 49th district which takes in parts of Orange and San Diego counties, endorsed Harris on Sunday. He was one of several battleground district Democrats who earlier this month called on Biden to exit the race.

Should Harris become the nominee, the presidential campaign is poised to prioritize turnout operations in California, which in turn could aid candidates in myriad competitive suburban districts.

Biden won California by 29 points in 2020, and Harris will surely win the deep blue state in her own right. But the margin will matter.

There's no place like home

Harris, an Oakland native, cut her teeth in San Francisco politics. Her election as San Francisco's district attorney and her stint as California attorney general set up her successful run for the Senate.

Along the way, Harris' political trajectory opened up doors to places that other candidates eyeing the White House have to fly across the country to reach.

Both Democrats and Republicans work fervently to raise money from wealthy donors in Hollywood and Silicon Valley — which has become a huge part of modern presidential campaigns where it's not uncommon for candidates to raise at least $1 billion.

But as Harris rose through the ranks, Silicon Valley was right in her backyard. And the glitz of Los Angeles was just a short flight away.

As a presidential candidate, Harris won't be a stranger to the tech giants that fueled so much growth in her state. Many of those leaders will likely be thrilled that a fellow Californian is leading the ticket. And should Harris win the White House, there'd be a familiar face influencing policy and legislation on relevant tech issues for the foreseeable future, which is something that doesn't come along everyday.

Harris hasn't secured the Democratic nomination yet, but if she does, California could be in for some of its sunniest days yet.