The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the fraught relationship between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris has been marked by decades of tacit competition between the two San Francisco Democrats. It said the two have risen through California politics while avoiding direct confrontation, but that could change in 2028 if both seek their party's presidential nomination.
The Times said Newsom, who is departing after his second and final term as governor, recently said he would not run for president if Harris chooses to do so. It said Newsom described a contest between the two as "mutual assured destruction" and a "waste of everyone's time." The Times said some interpreted that disavowal not as deference but as a form of political maneuvering directed at his longtime rival.
The Times said Newsom, in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, also said the case against Harris — that she is a two-time loser at the presidential level and has had her shot — is "a pretty good one, actually," adding that it is "objectively true."
The Times said Harris has largely kept silent, doing and saying just enough to keep the door open to a 2028 run without firmly committing. It said she can afford to wait, citing her universal name recognition, a nationwide fundraising base and continued support among a significant number of Black women.
The Times said Harris is not necessarily the favorite for the nomination, noting that the criticism Newsom expressed is widely held among Democrats. It said the 2028 contest will not be firmly fixed until it is clear whether Harris is in or out, and that Newsom does not have the luxury of biding his time while other Democrats prepare to enter the race.