Gavin Newsom's Pledge to Harris Met With Skepticism

California Governor Gavin Newsom has stated he will not pursue a presidential bid if Vice President Kamala Harris opts to run in 2028. Newsom explained in a CNN interview that their shared political circles and donor base would lead to "mutually assured destruction" if they were to compete against each other.

However, political experts and insiders have expressed skepticism regarding Newsom's pledge, suggesting he might be banking on Harris not entering the race herself. Dan Schnur, a professor of political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, commented that it's "impossible to believe" Newsom would forgo a presidential campaign for any reason, implying the statement is strategic.

"We should assume that Newsom and his team are assuming she won’t run," Schnur told The Post. "This allows them to look generous and selfless without having to really do anything and put a campaign on hold."

Newsom has made several moves that suggest presidential ambitions, including crisscrossing the country to promote his memoir, "A Young Man in a Hurry," and making appearances in swing states to support Democratic candidates. He has also become a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump on social media.

Meanwhile, Harris, who launched her own book tour and has not yet announced a decision on a 2028 presidential run, previously ran for president in 2019 and was part of the 2024 ticket that lost in swing states. A leader of a Democratic super PAC, speaking anonymously, called Newsom's remarks surprising and questioned the viability of another Harris presidential campaign, noting her past unsuccessful bids.

"She’s not going to be formidable, and I think he made a mistake here. … I could count on one hand the number of people who have said they want to go down that road again [with Harris]," the super PAC leader stated.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who has supported both Newsom and Harris, suggested Newsom was premature in making such a definitive promise. "I don’t think that is a good thing to say," Brown said. "I think you need to wait to see if someone actually runs."

Brown also praised Newsom's potential as a candidate, calling him a "quality communicator, he’s handsome, movie-star type guy, and he literally knows how to entertain voters." He added that if Harris does decide to run, Newsom would likely find a way to reconsider his current position, as political promises can be fluid.