Headline Roundup • August 1st, 2026
Kamala Harris Calls for Expanding Supreme Court, Revisiting Electoral College
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said the United States should consider expanding the Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices and revisit the Electoral College, as speculation grows about a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
Key Details: Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to President Donald Trump, made the remarks Friday at the National Urban League Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The California Democrat proposed expanding the Supreme Court, saying the U.S. should "expand the court to 13 justices like we have 13 district courts." She also said the country should revisit the Electoral College, argued that reviving the Voting Rights Act is unlikely given the current makeup of Congress, criticized Tennessee's congressional maps as racially discriminatory, and said the U.S. should consider statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
What's Next: Harris said she has "not made a decision" about a 2028 presidential run and is currently focused on the 2026 midterm elections. Her comments are likely to add to the debate over judicial reform and other institutional changes as Democrats look ahead to the 2028 presidential race. Harris previously supported term limits and an ethics code for Supreme Court justices but had been more cautious about expanding the court.
How The Media Covered It: Harris' appearance at the National Urban League's annual conference appeared to receive little attention from center-rated outlets, while left- and right-leaning media covered it. A recent Newsweek (Center) article also highlighted Harris' standing in the 2028 Democratic primary, reporting that a new poll of likely Michigan Democratic voters found her to be the leading candidate. Because Michigan is a key swing state, the poll could offer an early glimpse into the race. CNN (Lean Left bias) primarily framed Harris' remarks as part of the Democratic debate over court reform, providing historical context and noting growing support among Democratic leaders. The Washington Examiner (Lean right) focused more on the political implications, highlighting Harris' outreach to progressives and Republican criticism of her proposals.
Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission.
Featured Coverage of this Story
A new poll of likely Michigan Democratic voters offers an early look at who could emerge as the party's strongest contenders for the 2028 presidential nomination in one of the nation's most important swing states.
The WDIV/Detroit News survey found former Vice President Kamala Harris leading the field with 25.1 percent support, followed by ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 19.4 percent. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez placed third with 11.5 percent ahead of California Governor Gavin Newsom at 10.1 percent, while Senators Cory Booker and Mark Kelly each received 8.3 percent support.
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Former Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday that the United States should consider expanding the Supreme Court to be made up of 13 justices, a popular idea among Democrats who have increasingly pushed for court reform.
"We need to revisit the point of expanding the court to 13 justices like we have 13 district courts," Harris said at the National Urban League's annual conference in Nashville, also calling for a review of the Electoral College and statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. The federal judiciary has 13 circuit courts...
Lisa Leutner/Reuters
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is suggesting that the United States "revisit" the Electoral College and add four more justices to the Supreme Court.
"I know this is going to be controversial coming from me, in particular," she said on Friday. "We need to revisit the Electoral College. We need to revisit the point of expanding the court to 13 justices like we have 13 district courts. We need to revisit, if they so want, statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C."
