Newsom Comments on Potential 2028 Showdown with Harris

California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, was somewhat noncommittal when questioned about the possibility of a presidential primary contest with former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2028. In an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” he discussed his relationship with Harris, who, like him, initiated her political journey in California. Newsom is currently promoting his upcoming memoir, “Youth in a Hurry.”

During the discussion, CNN’s Dana Bash brought up Newsom’s references to their “parallel careers” in the memoir, leading her to ponder if those paths might “intersect and collide” in the future. Newsom responded lightheartedly, emphasizing the geographical distance between his San Francisco base and Harris’s connections to Los Angeles. “What I’m talking about is running for president of the country in 2028,” Bash clarified.

Newsom continued, saying, “That’s… fate decides that. I’ve never interfered with her ambitions, and I doubt I ever will.” He elaborated on the idea of focusing on what one can control, suggesting that this theme permeates his book. “Controlling what you can is a big part of what I’m trying to convey,” he noted.

Fox News Digital has requested a comment from Harris’ office regarding this dialogue. Both Harris and Newsom are viewed as frontrunners for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, with recent speculation about their potential candidacies increasing. While neither has officially declared their intent to run, a recent poll from the University of New Hampshire Research Center indicated that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is leading among Democratic candidates.

The same poll found that Newsom and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were tied for second, garnering approval ratings of 15%. Harris and Arizona’s Senator Mark Kelly trailed slightly at 10% each.