California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he won’t pursue a presidential run in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to enter the race again.
During a fly fishing trip in Montana with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Newsom, a Democrat from California, discussed the potential crowded field of candidates for the upcoming election. He indicated that if Harris were to run, he would step back.
“But I know what that means. I know her base of supporters; I know her friends. The [Venn] diagram on that is just pure crossover,” Newsom said while fishing. “I wouldn’t do that to people.”
He added that a matchup between the two would only serve to benefit their rivals.
“First of all, electorally, it’s a gift from God for everybody else. They’d enjoy the hell out of it,” he remarked. “Mutual assured destruction. It services no greater good.”
Harris, who served as vice president under Joe Biden, became the Democratic nominee in the 2024 election after Biden withdrew from the race. Newsom acknowledged that bringing up her previous unsuccessful campaign could have been advantageous for his own candidacy, yet he remains firm in his decision not to run against her.
“Why would I? I wouldn’t do that to her,” he stated. “I wouldn’t waste everyone’s time. Who needs that?”
There’s been talk that Harris might make another presidential bid, though she hasn’t officially announced anything yet.
As the midterm elections loom, many politicians, including Republican Vice President JD Vance, seem to be holding off on declaring their intentions for 2028 until after November.
