California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that he would not run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 if Kamala Harris decides to enter the race, believing that a contest between the two would divide a voter base that they largely share.
"I don't know if she will run, but we will see. I wouldn't run if she did," Newsom stated during an exclusive interview with CNN, conducted while fishing with journalist Jake Tapper in Montana.
The response surprised Tapper himself, as Newsom has long been mentioned among the potential Democratic contenders for the White House in 2028.
The governor explained that a primary between him and Harris would be "a gift from God for all the other" candidates and could lead to a "mutually assured destruction," due to the significant overlap between their respective electorates.
"I know his fan base, I know his friends; the Venn diagram is a pure overlap of ideas," he noted. "I wouldn’t do that to people. I wouldn’t put them in that situation."
Tapper then recalled Harris's electoral history: she dropped out of the 2020 presidential race before the primaries and in 2024, she lost the general election to Donald Trump.
Newsom admitted that that history could be used as an argument against him. "A pretty good argument, to be honest. It is objectively true," he responded, although he insisted that he would not change his decision to avoid a direct confrontation.
"All the other Democrats are hoping for that to happen, and so are all the other Republicans. And that's just not going to happen," he stated.
Harris has kept the possibility of seeking the presidency open once again. In April 2026, she acknowledged that she was considering that option and, according to Politico, as of August she had still not ruled out a candidacy.
Newsom has not formally announced that he will be running in 2028 either. His term as governor of California ends in January 2027 due to term limits, and he assured CNN that he is still "learning as he goes" how to approach a presidential decision.
He also explained why he chose not to challenge then-President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024.
"I wasn't prepared. If I had been, they would have crushed me because I didn't have a reason. If you don't have a big enough reason, then you don't belong there," he acknowledged.
An eventual candidacy will also depend on his family. Newsom stated that he would need the support of his wife and four children before embarking on a presidential campaign: "If they’re not on board, there’s nothing to be done."
The governor is part of a long list of Democratic figures mentioned as possible candidates for 2028. Among them are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pete Buttigieg, Josh Shapiro, and Andy Beshear.
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