Jessica Tarlov Wants a 'Head Down Moment,' Not Kamala Harris 2028 Chitchat

Jessica Tarlov, the Fox News co-host and Democratic strategist, said on Thursday that the talk about Kamala Harris running in 2028 is a distraction her party can't afford with less than three weeks to go before the midterm elections.

"But I generally feel like this should be a head down moment and not a chitchat moment, frankly," Tarlov said on Raging Moderates, the podcast she co-hosts with New York University marketing professor Scott Galloway.

Tarlov's complaint is about the 2028 speculation and its timing. She does not want Harris off the trail. "I'm glad to see that she's going on the campaign trail and I'm sure she will be very useful to the candidates who she is stumping with, especially with core demographics," she said, adding, "Black women love Kamala Harris. That is the most reliable democratic constituency that exists."

Why Tarlov Says the Harris 2028 Talk Hurts Democrats

The former vice president is now on a run of midterm stops. After Michigan, she heads to Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire. Galloway pointed out that the states she is visiting "also happen to be key states" for 2028.

Tarlov said the speculation "just creates these side shows when there are tight races all over the country" in "ruby red places where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not particularly popular."

"And people don't want to be reminded that actually you are part of that team," she said. She pointed to Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who has pitched turning Texas "purple, not let's turn Texas blue," and said the 2028 chatter "feels like a reminder all the time of the 'blue team.' And that is difficult for people that are down ballot."

Tarlov also has a job in conservative media, and she said clips of Harris are "the lifeblood of the news cycle" there. "I'm so sick of it," she said.

Did Kamala Harris Save Gallego and Slotkin?

Tarlov credited Harris with saving Democrats' Senate seats in 2024: "You don't have Gallego winning. You don't have Slotkin winning if it's Joe Biden on the top of the ticket."

There is no way to test what would have happened with Biden at the top of the ticket. The results do show that both Democrats ran ahead of Harris. Donald Trump carried Arizona, while Ruben Gallego beat Kari Lake by about 2.4 points. Trump also carried Michigan, and Elissa Slotkin edged Mike Rogers 48.6 percent to 48.3 percent.

Scott Galloway: Harris Is 'a Terrible Candidate' Who Should Run

Galloway was blunter about Harris and less concerned about the timing. "I'm not one of those people that she shouldn't run. I think she should run," he said. He said her lead in early polling is "largely name awareness," adding, "I think, again, I just think she's a terrible candidate. I think she's a my sense is a good person."

Harris leads the field in PolitiKool's polling average of the 2028 Democratic primary with 27.1 percent. California Governor Gavin Newsom is second with 16.1 percent, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is third with 11.2 percent. Galloway praised former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who does not appear among the average's top five, as "probably the most qualified candidate" and for being open about wanting to run.

Harris has not settled the question. Asked by actor Keke Palmer whether she is running, she said in a clip the hosts played, "I haven't decided. I haven't decided yet. I will. I promise."

Unverified Reports Feed the 2028 Speculation

Galloway also brought up two recent reports, neither of which the hosts verified. He said a Democratic strategist had argued in a new piece that Harris blew it by not hitting the ground running over the past year. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that her husband, Doug Emhoff, has privately told others in the former vice president's circle that he has concerns about another run, The Daily Beast reported.

Galloway dismissed the idea that a spouse would decide the matter. "This is entirely up to them," he said.

What Comes Next

Tarlov said she wants Democrats focused on "the hard work of getting people to the polls" and on the party's message on affordability, health care and "getting us out of stupid wars." Democrats lead PolitiKool's generic ballot average 48 percent to 40.2 percent. The party's own image is still weak, with 40.3 percent viewing it favorably in PolitiKool's polling average.

Election Day is November 3.