California governor will sit out of 2028 presidential race if former VP Harris runs

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is widely considered a contender for the 2028 presidential election, will not enter the race if former US vice president Kamala Harris runs again, he told CNN in a clip shared Monday.

Newsom made the comment in an interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, during which the two men are standing knee-deep in a body of water while fishing.

"I wouldn't run if she ran," Newsom said.

He explained that both campaigning would split Democratic votes, which would be a gift to Republicans who might coalesce around a narrower set of potential nominees, including current Vice President JD Vance.

"Electorally it's a gift from God for everybody else. They'd enjoy the hell out of it," Newsom said. "Mutually assured destruction, it serves as no greater good."

Newsom said did not previously run against former president Joe Biden in 2024 because he "wasn't ready" and thinks he would have lost anyways.

"First of all, I wouldn't do that," Newsom said, referring to the 2024 race. "Second, if I did, I would have gotten crushed because I didn't have a why."

His children will also be a factor if and when he ever decides to run.

"I've got four kids. It's the only thing that matters to me. They gotta be on board," Newsom said. "Forget it, if they're not on board, that's a non-starter."

The comments from Newsom seemingly stunned Tapper in the two-minute clip, which teased a longer interview that is expected to air Tuesday morning.

It might surprise other observers, too, who have watched Newsom's political ascendance from the mayor of San Francisco to governor of the Golden State, both Democratic strongholds.

He was elected governor in 2018, and reelected to a second term four years later.

As California governor over the past eight years, he survived a recall election, launched a podcast called "This is Gavin Newsom," and oversaw emergency responses to natural disasters including wildfires and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month, he spent several days visiting right-leaning southern states where he stumped for Democratic causes.

Newsom also celebrated a Supreme Court decision on Monday that allowed a lower-court to block proposed changes to mail-in voting made by the Trump administration.

"Today is a good day for democracy, the rule of law, and the American people looking to exercise their Constitutional right to vote," the governor said in a statement. "Trump's attacks on democracy these last 20 months have been nothing short of un-American."

In June, Newsom accused the US Department of Justice (DOJ) of launching a politically motivated investigation against him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

A DOJ source in Washington, who requested anonymity, told AFP earlier this year that the investigation was not politically motivated and instead was focused on "tax activity" involving Newsom's wife, a documentary filmmaker, and activities related to his former chief of staff and possibly current aides.

"Donald Trump isn't just coming after me because of my mean tweets," Newsom said in June. "He's coming after me because I am considering running for president.

"One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list," he continued.