Gavin Newsom says he won’t run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris does - NBC News
California Governor Gavin Newsom has stated he will not run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris decides to launch a bid. Newsom cited the potential for mutual political damage and his respect for Harris's existing base as primary reasons for his decision.
Why it matters
This announcement clarifies the potential Democratic field for the 2028 election and prevents a high-profile intra-party conflict between two prominent California politicians.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom made a surprise announcement that he won’t launch a 2028 White House bid if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to run again. “I wouldn’t run if she ran,” Newsom told CNN in an interview that aired Monday evening. Newsom said running against Harris, a fellow California Democrat who was the state’s attorney general before she became a senator, would be an electoral “gift” for everybody else. “They’d enjoy the hell out of it. Mutual assured destruction. It services no greater good. Why would I do this if I wasn’t trying to serve some greater good? There would be no upside whatsoever,” said Newsom, who has been considering a White House run.
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