Harris Memoir Reveals Tensions with Newsom, Hints at 2028 Rivalry
WASHINGTON – Vice President Kamala harris’s newly released campaign memoir, “107 Days,” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the 2024 presidential race, but also subtly reignites a long-simmering rivalry with California Governor Gavin Newsom and suggests a potential clash in the 2028 election. The book details instances of perceived slights and a lack of enthusiastic support from Newsom following President Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race, fueling speculation about a future showdown between the two prominent Democrats.
Harris and Newsom rose through the ranks of California politics in the early 2000s, forging a relationship characterized by both collaboration and competition. The memoir recounts the immediate aftermath of Biden’s withdrawal, when Harris began securing support from key Democrats nationwide. According to Harris, Newsom responded to her outreach with a terse text message stating, “Hiking. Will call back,” and never followed through, despite issuing a public endorsement hours later – an omission Harris pointedly notes in the book.
This anecdote, described as “small-bore stuff” but revealing of underlying tensions, underscores a complicated dynamic between the two leaders, one marked by “mutual aid with jealousy and jostling.” While both publicly project a unified front, the memoir suggests a more fractured relationship.
As Harris promotes her book, she has consistently avoided directly addressing questions about a potential 2028 presidential bid, offering only a “standard-issue non-denial denial” to Rachel Maddow, stating, “That’s not my focus right now.” Newsom, however, is widely perceived to be preparing for a run, despite publicly declining to confirm his intentions.
The prospect of a Harris-Newsom contest has prompted analysis of the Democratic Party’s appetite for established figures, with some observers questioning whether either candidate represents the “novelty” voters often seek. Currently, Newsom is focused on building bridges within the party, while Harris’s actions, as highlighted in her memoir, appear to be distancing her from some Democratic allies.
