Vice President Kamala Harris is stepping up her public presence in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, joining fellow Democrats on the campaign trail. Her first stop was Michigan on Tuesday, where she campaigned for Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. This visit is particularly notable for Harris, as Michigan was one of the seven states she lost to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Now, it is one of the six states where Democrats will begin the process of selecting their next presidential nominee. Harris is also scheduled to hold rallies in Nevada and Georgia, both of which are key battleground states. Her campaign appearances could either strengthen or weaken her position as a potential Democratic front-runner. While she remains one of the most well-known politicians in the country, some Democrats, like Barry Goodman of the Michigan Democratic National Committee, argue she has already fulfilled her political role and that another run may not be in America’s best interest. Others, particularly influential Black women who supported her as Biden’s vice-presidential running mate in 2020, believe she should be allowed to consider her future without undue criticism. California Governor Gavin Newsom has said he would not run for president if Harris does, and former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile has encouraged other potential White House candidates to support Harris by backing midterm Democrats. Harris has not yet announced plans to visit South Carolina, where Democrats will hold their first primary, though political consultant Antjuan Seawright believes she could make a strong case if she acknowledges past mistakes. Michigan presents both challenges and opportunities for Harris. The state's large Arab American community was upset by President Biden’s support for Israeli military actions in Gaza and was disappointed when Harris did not distance herself from Biden’s stance after becoming the nominee. El-Sayed, on the other hand, is a vocal critic of Israel and has referred to the war in Gaza as a genocide against Palestinians, a characterization Israel rejects. El-Sayed has faced concerns from some Jewish voters but has attempted to address this by apologizing for past controversial remarks. El-Sayed noted that some Black voters in Michigan felt Arab Americans did not offer enough support to Harris after the 2024 election. With her visit, he sees a chance to mend community relations. Harris has a complex relationship with the party’s progressive wing, which includes El-Sayed, while El-Sayed is trying to gain support from more establishment Democrats in his race against Republican nominee Mike Rogers. Harris' campaign schedule is currently less intensive compared to other potential candidates like Pete Buttigieg, who ran in 2020 before becoming Biden’s transportation secretary. Buttigieg recently visited South Carolina and has been actively campaigning for midterm Democrats. Harris visited South Carolina earlier this year for smaller party events and recently participated in a call aimed at registering and mobilizing 1 million Black voters. Harris has said she feels no pressure to decide her future plans, and her spokesperson has not commented on her timeline. Her upcoming events include supporting Nevada’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Aaron Ford, and Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who is speculated to run in 2028. Seawright noted that her book tour for her memoir, "107 Days," covered nearly every major Southern city in states where Black voters have significant influence in early primary contests. Goodman said he has not seen any indication that Harris is engaging top party donors, and former national party chair Jaime Harrison said he has not spoken with her since December. Harris first ran for president in 2020 as a U.S. senator from California but withdrew before any votes were cast. Some progressives saw her as part of a system that disproportionately impacts Black men, while some moderates viewed her as a typical San Francisco liberal. Biden selected her as his running mate, making her the first woman and Black person to serve as vice president. When Biden ended his reelection campaign after a poor debate performance, Harris energized voters, drawing crowds that matched or even exceeded those of Trump. Her convention speech and debate performance received praise from many analysts. However, she struggled to distance herself from Biden on issues like inflation and immigration, famously telling interviewers on "The View" that she couldn’t think of anything she would have done differently. Trump targeted her in advertisements focusing on her support for transgender rights, declaring: "Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you." If Harris runs again, Seawright said she must emphasize moderate positions and be willing to say, "I’ve rethought some things." Voters, he added, "reward that kind of authenticity and humility." Harrison noted that presenting her own platform would be easier now than when she was a sitting vice president. But he warned she must shed the formal trappings of the vice presidency. "You can’t act like a sitting vice president, standing up on that stage," he said. "I’d tell her she has to run hard, just as hard as everybody else, working every rope line, taking every selfie."