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.

Six months ago, Kamala Harris took a break from packing up the vice president’s residence to attend a quiet meeting on Capitol Hill with a group of Black congresswomen. She had advice for them on how to steel themselves for a second Trump administration.