California Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday he would not seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris launches a campaign, citing the damage a contest between them would inflict on the party.
"It would be an electoral gift" to other candidates, Newsom told CNN. He called the scenario "mutual assured destruction," saying it would "service no greater good" and offer "no upside whatsoever" for him.
Newsom, a Democrat whose term as governor ends in months, has been actively exploring a presidential run. He recently traveled to South Carolina, which holds the first Democratic primary in 2028, and told CBS News last year he would seriously consider a White House bid after the 2026 midterm elections.
Harris, also a California Democrat who served as the state's attorney general and U.S. senator, has not announced whether she will run in 2028. In July, she said she had "not made a decision" on a 2028 bid, focusing instead on the midterm elections. In April, she told Rev. Al Sharpton she was "thinking about it" when asked about a third presidential run, having run in 2020 and 2024.
Newsom acknowledged that attacking Harris's record as a candidate who had "had a shot and has previously run for president" would be effective. But he said he would not divide Democratic support in California. "I know her base of supporters; I know her friends," he said. "I wouldn't do that to people."
