Gov. Newsom endorses Kamala Harris: 'Tough. Fearless. Tenacious.'
Though plenty of politicians want a seat in the Oval Office, Rep. John Garamendi believes they will just have to wait.
(NewsNation) — With nearly 4,000 delegates up for grabs during the Democratic National Convention this August, it's unknown who exactly will try to replace President Joe Biden on the ticket.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., tells “NewsNation Prime” that Biden's endorsement of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, has "slammed the door" for other Democratic hopefuls like California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom has already endorsed Harris, calling her "tough," "fearless" and "tenacious" in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"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," the post read in part.
Though plenty of politicians want a seat in the Oval Office, Garamendi explained they will just have to wait until the next election cycle to get a shot.
"He'll be back on the field as a presidential candidate," Garamendi said. "But he's not going to take on Harris."
Some Democratic donors and officials are reaching out to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to consider standing for the presidential nomination, a source familiar confirmed to NewsNation. Manchin is reportedly considering registering as a Democrat once again to join the race.
Newsom could, however, join Harris. If Harris secures the nomination, he's one of the front-runners to become part of the new Democratic ticket.
Others include:
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
- North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper
- Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Garamendi thinks the female hopefuls will likely be ruled out if Harris is the nominee, but there are "several that are absolutely excellent vice president candidates."
Though Garamendi is sad that calls for Biden to leave grew loud enough to force his hand, he is ready to support whatever the future holds for the party: "That is now yesterday."
"I think we've got a terrific opportunity with Harris," he added.