Kamala Harris political potency faces test with Gavin Newsom recall effort

Vice President Kamala Harris faces a key political test ahead of a Sept. 14 special election in California as embattled Gov. Gavin Newsom leans on her to juice Democratic turnout and shield him from an embarrassing recall.

Harris is more than the Democratic Party’s No. 2 nationally — she is a former San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, and senator representing the state in Washington. Whether the vice president can use her platform and background to generate enthusiasm for Newsom, struggling against Democratic apathy as much as he is Republican opposition, is shaping up as an assessment of her influence with voters and power base inside the party.