The crowded race to succeed California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2027 looked frozen in place for months as former Vice President Kamala Harris considered whether to jump in. But campaign finance reports filed this week reveal that serious fundraising was playing out behind the scenes even before Harris announced on Wednesday that she’ll steer clear of the race.

Democrats remain favored to hold the seat now occupied by term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a state where Republicans have not won a statewide election in nearly two decades.

Vice President Harris says she is stepping away from elected office for the time being, declaring the political system “broken.” During her ninth appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” this week,