Newsom Pledges Not to Run Against Harris in 2028

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated he will not run for president in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris enters the race, a pledge he made during a televised interview with CNN's Jake Tapper. The announcement, made on Monday, September 14, 2026, positions Newsom, a widely discussed potential frontrunner, to step aside for Harris, who has not yet decided on a third presidential bid. Newsom delivered the conditional pledge during an interview filmed while he and Tapper were fly fishing in Montana. "I wouldn't run if she ran," Newsom said. "Why would I? I wouldn't do that to her. I wouldn't do it to me. I wouldn't waste everyone's time. Who needs that?" The governor argued that a primary contest between the two prominent California Democrats would be politically damaging for the party. He described such a scenario as "mutual assured destruction" and "a gift from God for everybody else," stating it "services no greater good." Newsom emphasized the significant overlap in their political bases, noting, "I know her base of supporters. I know her friends. The Venn diagram on that is just pure crossover.