Is Gov. Gavin Newsom a VP contender for Kamala Harris’ ticket?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom may have ended any speculation that he would seek the Democratic presidential nomination this week after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, but he hasn’t yet entirely quieted rumblings that he is a contender as Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate.

Biden endorsed Vice President and former California Sen. Kamala Harris as the party’s Democratic nominee for president Sunday, launching a fervent process to find and vet Harris’ vice president before the Democratic National Convention mid-August.

Yet unlike many of the other governors, congressmembers and Democratic figures named as possible vice-presidential picks, a Harris-Newsom ticket would need to clear a handful of legal hurdles and thorny strategic obstacles that election experts and Democratic strategists say makes him an unlikely pick – if not impossible.

More:Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris after he drops out of 2024 election, a recap

Newsom eyes 2028 presidential bid

The California governor, who is 56, has indeed become one of the most prominent Democratic figures over the last few years. Currently in his second term as governor of the nation’s most populous and prosperous state, Newsom’s reputation extends far beyond Sacramento. It’s widely understood that the governor is eyeing a 2028 presidential bid.

Newsom threw his support behind Harris Sunday in a statement on the social media platform X.

“Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, Kamala Harris,” he said.

Newsom has been one of the most vocal supporters of Biden and pushed back against calls from members of his own party for him to step aside in the 2024 election. In the hours before and after Biden’s disastrous June 27 debate performance against former President Donald Trump, Newsom lorded over the spin-room, singing Biden’s praises to members of the media. His progressive policies and penchant for challenging Republican talking points have made him a boogeyman of sorts to the GOP, and a national leader among the Democratic party.

While the office of vice president can be a springboard for the presidency, the chances of Newsom taking that route are slim.

Longtime national Democratic strategist Bob Shrum said it is “practically impossible” Newsom would join a Harris ticket. He references the 12th Amendment, which lays out how members of the Electoral College cast ballots for the presidential ticket. It states that electors “vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”

More:Who will be Kamala Harris’ VP? Here’s the possible contenders.

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Legal experts told the Sacramento Bee that this means California residents would essentially void the state’s 54 electoral votes, as Harris and Newsom maintain legal residences and are registered to vote in the same state.

“Gavin Newsom would have to move out of state and resign as governor,” Shrum said of a possibility for the two Californians to share the ticket. “Because Harris is never going to give up her California residency.”

As for Newsom, it’s just as unlikely he would forfeit his role as governor or ever relinquish his California residency. He is a fourth-generation San Franciscan, his late father a state appeals court judge, and made his millions in wineries, restaurants and hotels stretching across the state.

Newsom still may have a role to play in 2024 election

Shrum, director of University of California’s Center on the Political Future, said he still expects Newsom to play a significant role in the 2024 election.

“I think he’ll continue to be a very effective surrogate and campaign hard,” he said. “He is telegenic, he is fluent, he is eloquent, so I think he can make a real contribution for Harris.”

Newsom has been a source of strong support on the issue of abortion rights for Democrats across the nation. Last year he led a group of Democratic governors in 20 states aimed at bolstering abortion access, and earlier this year he launched PAC to continue that effort – primarily by running ads criticizing Republican abortion restrictions in GOP strongholds like Texas and Tennessee and in critical swing states like Arizona.

Abortion rights has become a cornerstone of Harris’ campaigning for Biden over the past several months and is expected to continue into her bid for president.

More:California Democrats bet big on abortion in 2024 election

Kathryn Palmer is an elections fellow for USA TODAY. Reach her at kapalmer@gannett.com and follow her on X @KathrynPlmr.