Gavin Newsom Pledges Not to Run if Kamala Harris Does

California Governor Gavin Newsom pledged in a CNN interview that he will not run for president in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to seek the office. Speaking during a fly-fishing trip in Montana, Newsom characterized a primary battle between the two California Democrats as "mutual assured destruction" that would serve as a "gift from God for everybody else" by cannibalizing their overlapping supporter bases.

While Newsom acknowledged arguments that Harris might be less viable due to her previous presidential nomination loss, he maintained that competing against her would "waste everyone's time." He also noted that any potential candidacy would require the full support of his wife and children. Newsom has recently expanded his national profile through a new podcast and visits to early primary states including South Carolina and North Carolina.

Parallel to these ambitions, Newsom has shifted his political positions toward the left to appeal to the Democratic Party's progressive wing. He recently declared that "capitalism as we know it doesn’t work" and expressed openness to packing the Supreme Court. These shifts occur as Newsom trails Harris by 15 points in polling and faces federal investigations into his finances and travel records, which he has dismissed as a political hit job. Additionally, a leaked video shows Newsom using profanity to accuse Senators Marco Rubio and JD Vance of being complicit in a "complete grift."