Newsom Rules Out 2028 Presidential Run If Harris Competes
California Governor Gavin Newsom stated he will not seek the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to run, in comments made to CNN's Jake Tapper.
Cleveland Akron, OH, September 14, 2026 —
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared he would not pursue the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination if former Vice President Kamala Harris indicates her intention to run.
Newsom’s statement was made in recent comments to CNN anchor Jake Tapper. The governor’s assertion addresses a potential future political landscape within the Democratic Party, specifically concerning the 2028 election cycle. He explicitly stated his decision would be contingent on Harris’s candidacy.
The specific date of this interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper was not provided in the summary. Furthermore, details regarding the context of Newsom’s remarks, such as whether Harris had made any statements about her own presidential aspirations or if Tapper had directly asked Newsom about this specific scenario, were not included in the information provided.
Newsom, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and the governor of the nation’s most populous state, has often been discussed as a potential presidential contender. Similarly, Kamala Harris, currently the Vice President of the United States, is also frequently named as a potential future candidate for higher office.
The 2028 presidential election remains some years away, and the field of candidates is subject to significant development and change. Newsom’s statement appears to be an early indication of his strategic considerations regarding potential primary contests and his relationship with other leading Democrats.
No further information was provided regarding any specific timeline for Newsom’s decision-making process beyond this conditional statement, nor were details about any other potential candidates mentioned in the summary. The comments to Jake Tapper represent a significant, albeit conditional, declaration from the California governor about his national political ambitions.
Story summarized from the original created by Howard Koplowitz on www.cleveland.com, see more information here.
