Newsom's 2028 Exit: 'If Harris Runs, I'm Not'

California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered an important message in the possible Democratic Party primary race for the 2028 presidential election. Newsom said he would not run if former Vice President Kamala Harris decided to compete for the presidency.

"If She Runs, I Won't Run"

Speaking to CNN, Newsom said he was not sure whether Harris would run in the 2028 election. However, he made it clear that he would not be a candidate for president if Harris decided to compete.

Newsom said, 'I don't know whether he will compete or not, but we'll see. But if he were to compete, I wouldn't compete. Why would I? I wouldn't do that to him. I wouldn't do that to you. I wouldn't waste everyone's time.'

The 2028 Race Among Democrats Has Already Begun

Newsom and Harris's names are already among the leading options for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. The two California politicians had previously been evaluated in the same equation in terms of presidential contests.

In a study released in March by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, 28% of registered Democratic voters in California had listed Newsom as their first choice for 2028. Harris was fourth with 9%. Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez received 14%, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg garnered 11%.

Newsom had not previously run against Harris.

Newsom had said he would not face Harris in the 2020 and 2024 presidential contests. However, when the 2028 possibility surfaced, the California Governor had previously told CNN that he could not predict with certainty how the issue would unfold in the future.

Harris’s Decision Awaited

Whether Harris will run again in the 2028 election has not yet been decided. Newsom’s latest statement was one of the most striking remarks that clarified his position in the potential Democratic primary race.