Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he will not run for president, at odds with Vice President Kamala Harris, and maintained his steadfast support for President Biden as discussions continue within the Democratic Party to find an alternative presidential candidate.

His comments suggest that the California governor will not challenge Harris, the front-runner in the debate over who will succeed Biden in November's presidential election if he gives in to demands to step down, even if she seeks the nomination.

“Absolutely,” Newsom said when asked if he was keeping his word from last year that he wouldn't run against Harris. “Yes.”

Newsom's pledge would avoid a potentially ugly political fight for the party and its donors. Newsom and Harris have risen to prominence in Bay Area political circles, becoming some of the state's most prominent elected officials. Harris, the vice president and Biden's 2020 running mate, is seen as a leading Democratic contender if nominated.

Governor Newsom reaffirmed his position during a press conference on California's wildfire response at Sacramento's McClellan Airport after touring battleground states on behalf of the Biden campaign.

Governor Newsom campaigned for Biden in New Hampshire and Michigan as part of an effort to solidify support for the president following Biden's poor performance in a debate with former President Trump in Atlanta in late June. Appearing at the debate on Biden's behalf, Governor Newsom sought to allay concerns about the president's mental competency, attesting to his competency based on his personal interactions with the president.

He continues to support Biden even as other Democrats question his ability to campaign.

Newsom said Wednesday that he had not read the full text of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's comments about Biden on MSNBC that morning.

“It's up to the president to decide whether he wants to run,” said Rep. Pelosi, D-San Francisco. “Time is running out, and we're all urging him to make that decision.”

Newsom also said he had not read an opinion piece written by actor George Clooney calling for a Democrat to run instead of Biden.

Biden has repeatedly stated his intention to continue the campaign, even encouraging Democrats who think they can beat him to run.

“I'm sure 100 media outlets have asked me the same question, but I think I've answered my support for the president well and the support that I saw on the ground was verifiable,” Newsom said Wednesday.

Newsom compared Biden to President Trump, noting Biden's support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying Biden “didn't even know what NATO was.”

In New Hampshire, Newsom said he thought Harris could beat Trump and has said in the past that she would be a natural candidate to run if Biden suspended his campaign.

“There's no doubt about that,” Governor Newsom told reporters. “If that happens, it will happen, but I don't expect that to happen.”

Staff writers Noah Bierman and Seema Mehta contributed to this report.