California Governor Gavin Newsom has said he would not run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 if Kamala Harris decided to enter the race.
Mr Newsom made the commitment during an interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper recorded while the pair were fly-fishing in Montana. “I wouldn’t run if she ran,” he said, adding: “I wouldn’t waste everyone’s time. Who needs that?”
The statement appears to place a limit on the ambitions Mr Newsom has signalled since before Ms Harris lost the 2024 election. If she seeks the presidency again, he would have to decide whether to honour his pledge or run against the fellow California Democrat.
Mr Newsom could potentially announce his own campaign before Ms Harris makes a decision, although it is unclear whether that would alter the political implications of his promise. He may also believe that Ms Harris will not stand.
A spokesman for the governor, Bob Salladay, said he could not immediately provide further clarification. “They’ve been friends long enough that they wouldn’t play cat-and-mouse games on something this important,” he said.
The 2028 Democratic primary contest is expected to begin formally as soon as the end of this year, following the midterm elections. Both Mr Newsom and Ms Harris have taken steps to preserve their national political profiles.
Mr Newsom has visited South Carolina twice this year, while a podcast he launched shortly after Donald Trump returned to the White House has featured guests from across the political spectrum, including Charlie Kirk before his assassination, Hunter Biden and several Democratic governors.
During the interview, Mr Tapper put forward the argument that Ms Harris could face difficulties because she had already been nominated and lost. Mr Newsom agreed with the assessment, but said he understood the consequences of challenging her.
“That would be the case you’d make, a pretty good one, actually, that’s objectively true,” he said. “But I know what that means. I know her base of supporters, I know her friends.” Describing the overlap between their political circles as “pure crossover”, he added: “I wouldn’t do that.”
