Newsom says he won’t run for president in 2028 if Harris enters race

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would not seek the presidency in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to run, according to a report by CBS News Sacramento.

Newsom made the remarks during an extended interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper at his in-laws’ Montana ranch, where the two spoke while fly-fishing. “I wouldn’t run if she ran,” Newsom said, adding he did not want a divisive Democratic primary fight. He described a potential 2028 matchup between the two as “mutual assured destruction,” saying it would be “a gift from God” for other candidates.

Newsom also said he wasn’t ready to challenge President Biden in 2024, arguing candidates need a clear reason to run. He said his wife and school-aged children would ultimately decide whether he pursues the White House, calling family approval “a non-starter” if absent.

Newsom, term-limited out of the governorship, has not announced a presidential campaign.