Gavin Newsom is opening up about the political calculus behind a potential 2028 presidential campaign, and it hinges heavily on what his fellow Californian, Kamala Harris, decides to do first. The California governor gave some of his clearest comments yet on how he views a possible run alongside the former vice president.
Gavin Newsom says he won’t run if Kamala Harris decides to join the race
Newsom made clear that if Kamala Harris enters the 2028 Democratic primary, he will step aside rather than compete against her. He argued that a head-to-head contest between the two would serve no one but their political rivals. “I wouldn’t do that to her,” Newsom told CNN. “I wouldn’t waste everybody’s time.”
He went further, describing just how much their political coalitions overlap. “the (Venn) diagram on that is just pure crossover,” Newsom said. “I wouldn’t do that to people.” The two Democrats have long been viewed as leading establishment names for the party’s next presidential ticket. Both built their careers in California politics, and both are now seen as likely contenders once the 2028 presidential field takes shape.
Term limits will push Newsom out of the governor’s mansion this year, and he has spent recent months raising his national visibility in ways that suggest a White House run is on his mind. He has taken a sharper, more combative tone towards President Donald Trump on social media, built relationships with online political commentators to spread his message, and championed a California ballot measure on redistricting meant to counter Republican gerrymandering efforts elsewhere ahead of the midterms.
Gavin Newsom also revealed that 2028 will not be his first time weighing a presidential bid. He considered entering the race in 2024 but ultimately decided against it, telling the host he “wasn’t ready” at the time. He said he is still working out whether that will be different this cycle.
