Montgomery, Alabama is preparing for a notable event in early 2026, as former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to take the stage at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. On Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 7PM, Harris will present "A Conversation with Kamala Harris," a highly anticipated talk that promises to draw attention from across the state and beyond. Tickets for the event go on sale starting December 13, 2025, and local organizers expect brisk demand given Harris’s continued prominence in American political discourse.
This upcoming appearance marks one of Harris’s first major public engagements since the tumultuous 2024 presidential election cycle, in which she was the Democratic nominee. The event is expected to offer a rare opportunity for the public to hear directly from Harris, whose career has been shaped by her distinctive background as the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants and by her tenure as both Vice President and U.S. Senator. The Montgomery Performing Arts Centre, a venue known for hosting major political and cultural figures, is already abuzz with preparations for the visit.
Harris’s return to the public eye comes at a time of ongoing reflection and analysis within the Democratic Party. According to Reuters, Rachel Maddow, the well-known MSNBC host, recently discussed her September 2025 interview with Harris, which took place shortly after the release of Harris’s memoir, 107 Days. In that interview, Maddow observed that Harris was "very calculated on camera," a quality that both intrigued and frustrated viewers seeking candid insights into the former vice president’s mindset during and after the 2024 campaign.
In a recent appearance on former Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison’s "At Our Table" podcast, Maddow expressed some regret about how the interview unfolded. She admitted, "I wish I pressed Harris more on the selection of her own running mate." This sentiment has been echoed by other political commentators, many of whom have scrutinized the decisions Harris made as she built her ticket and campaign strategy.
Harris’s memoir, 107 Days, provides a candid look at her thought process during the critical period leading up to the 2024 election. One of the most closely examined chapters centers on her search for a running mate. According to the book, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was under serious consideration. However, Harris ultimately decided against selecting Buttigieg, citing concerns that "his identity as a gay man was a risk too big to take." This revelation has sparked considerable debate within and outside the party, with some seeing it as a pragmatic calculation and others as a missed opportunity for bold leadership.
Another prominent name on Harris’s shortlist was Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. But as Harris recounts in her memoir, Shapiro "was looking for more pull in the White House than previous vice presidents," a dynamic that complicated the potential partnership. The search for the right balance of experience, appeal, and compatibility ultimately led Harris to select Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. This decision, though, proved controversial in retrospect.
The aftermath of the election was sobering for Harris and her supporters. As reported by Reuters, she "lost every swing state and the popular vote," a result that has prompted deep soul-searching among Democratic strategists and activists. The party’s post-mortem analyses have focused not only on the campaign’s messaging and outreach but also on the pivotal choices made at the top of the ticket, including the vice presidential selection.
In the months since the election, Democratic leaders and commentators have continued to dissect what went wrong in 2024, hoping to learn lessons ahead of the 2026 midterms. Maddow’s reflections on her interview with Harris have become part of this broader conversation, as she and others consider how the party might reconnect with voters and rebuild its coalition. On the "At Our Table" podcast, Maddow’s candor about her own approach—"I wish I pressed Harris more on the selection of her own running mate"—underscores the sense that much remains unsettled within Democratic ranks.
Beyond the political autopsy, Harris’s upcoming Montgomery appearance also reflects her enduring appeal as a public figure and her willingness to engage with audiences in person. The format of "A Conversation with Kamala Harris" suggests a departure from the tightly scripted campaign events of the past, offering what many hope will be a more open and interactive dialogue. For residents of Montgomery and the wider region, it’s a chance to hear directly from a leader who has been at the center of national debates on justice, equity, and the future of American democracy.
The timing of Harris’s visit is also notable in light of recent events that have shaped the national political landscape. On November 20, 2025, the Washington National Cathedral hosted the funeral service for former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, an event attended by a host of current and former officials, including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. The occasion served as a moment of reflection on the evolving role of the vice presidency and the shifting contours of American political life.
For Harris, whose own vice presidency was marked by both historic firsts and formidable challenges, the legacy of predecessors like Cheney looms large. Her memoir and public appearances in the wake of the 2024 election offer insights into how she views her place in this lineage and her hopes for the country’s future. As she prepares to address the Montgomery audience, questions about leadership, representation, and the path forward for the Democratic Party are sure to be front and center.
Tickets for "A Conversation with Kamala Harris" will be available starting December 13, 2025, and organizers expect a sellout crowd. The event is poised to draw not only local residents but also political observers, activists, and members of the media eager to hear Harris’s perspective on the defining issues of the day. For many, the evening represents more than just a speaking engagement—it’s a chance to witness a key figure in recent American history reflect on her journey and the lessons learned along the way.
As the Democratic Party looks to regroup and redefine its message ahead of the 2026 midterms, the voices of leaders like Harris will remain essential. Her willingness to engage with tough questions—both from interviewers like Maddow and from the public—may well shape the contours of political debate in the months and years to come. For Montgomery, the visit is both an honor and an opportunity to be part of that ongoing conversation.
