Gavin Newsom announces that he will not run in the 2028 presidential election if Kamala Harris decides to enter the race: “I will not run if she does”

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday that he will not run in the Democratic Party's primary for the 2028 U.S. presidential election if former Vice President Kamala Harris enters the race. He made the statement in an interview with CNN.

“I will not run if she does,” Newsom said, considered one of the Democrats’ leading prospects for the 2028 election. He warned that a simultaneous contest between the two politicians would represent an advantage for Republicans and could lead to “mutually assured destruction” within the Democratic camp.

Newsom will not be able to run for a third term as California governor in November’s election, which is why he is considered among the favorites for the White House.

Kamala Harris lost to Trump in the November 2024 presidential election, but has not ruled out another candidacy so far.

Newsom’s positioning may influence the Democrats’ internal competition ahead of the 2028 election.