What's next for Kamala Harris after election loss?

For months, US Vice-President Kamala Harris was laser-focused on one potentially career-defining, history-making goal - becoming the first woman entrusted with the keys to the White House.

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But defeat by Donald Trump in the recent election stripped the Democrat of a place in the pantheon of US presidents, and left America wondering what is next for a politician whose meteoric rise has come crashing to an abrupt halt.

After spending a few days in Hawaii following the disappointment of Nov 5, the 60-year-old former prosecutor has begun lifting the veil on her future ambitions.

"I am staying in the fight," she declared during a call with party donors, without elaborating on how that might look.

Washington is abuzz with speculation over Ms Harris' next move, with some commentators predicting a bid for the governor's mansion in her home state of California when Mr Gavin Newsom vacates the premises in 2026.

In the US, governorships are prestigious positions, since many states are the size of countries and the men and women who run them act as quasi-presidents.