Column: Is Gavin Newsom running for president? No, it just sounds like it

Key Facts

Those around Newsom say he has never openly hankered after the White House, and he has apparently never had any sort of in-depth discussion with his political team about running for president.
Despite a sometimes fraught relationship with Harris — who shares much of the same political and donor base from their days in San Francisco — Newsom also has no plans to take her on if she seeks the White House in 2024.
(Those around Newsom who agreed to talk about his political future wished not to be identified because the governor frowns on such discussion.) Newsom has already taken on Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas over mask mandates and the state’s near-ban on abortion, and sparred with DeSantis over Florida’s punitive treatment of Disney for opposing legislation critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
“I have no idea why anybody would make that statement unless they were unaware of the fight that has been going on,” the San Francisco Democrat responded Sunday on CBS.) By loudly and brashly confronting his own party, Newsom presented himself as someone Democrats need to reckon with, even if a presidential campaign isn’t in the immediate offing.