Updated Sept. 14, 2026, 8:32 p.m. ET
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a recent interview with CNN that he would not run in the 2028 Presidential election if former Vice President Kamala Harris decided that she wants to run for the seat a second time.
Newsom made the statement during a fishing trip in Montana with CNN’s Jake Tapper, after the reporter asked about his presidential ambition if Harris joined the race as well.
“I don’t know if she runs, but we’ll see,” Newsom told Tapper. “I wouldn’t run if she ran.”
“I wouldn’t do that to her. I wouldn’t do that to you. I wouldn’t waste everyone’s time. Who needs that?” Newsom added.
Newsom’s pledge came as a shock to Tapper, as many have speculated that Newsom was preparing to run in a potential 2028 presidential bid, as early polling saw him as a likely frontrunner for the upcoming election.
However, Newsom held a similar position during the 2024 election cycle after Harris received the party’s endorsement following then-President Joe Biden deciding to drop out of the presidential race.
Newsom backed Harris, believing she would be a better leader of the country at the time. A sentiment he highlights in the interview with Tapper, noting that in 2024, he hadn’t found “why” for running for the position.
This statement comes after Newsom’s presidential ambitions have become more visible, including his recent decision to join the South Carolina Democratic Party’s “On the Road” series, an initiative designed to connect national and regional Democratic figures with local communities. A moment that appeared to be an unofficial start to his presidential campaign.
However, in the interview, Newsom elaborates that if he were to run against Harris, it would ultimately be “mutually assured destruction,” as both politicians share a similar voter base.
Tapper questions Newsom’s argument by pointing out that Harris has run for president twice and lost both times. Regardless, Newsom holds to the unofficial pledge he made to Tapper.
“That would be the case you’d make, a pretty good one, actually, that’s objectively true,” Newsom said. “But I know what that means. I know her base of supporters; I know her friends. The Venn diagram pure crossover.”
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
Leave a Reply