Politics
JUST IN: Top Democrat Confirms Interest In White House Bid
California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed during a new interview that he is indeed interested in running for president in 2028, becoming one of the first likely contenders to do so.
“Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom told “CBS News Sunday Morning” when asked whether he was considering a White House bid in 2028. “I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.”
Newsom has long been considered to be a top contender for the Democratic Party nomination in 2028, and he has taken several steps that appear to signal his interest. Immediately after last year’s election, the governor sat down with a number of prominent conservatives, including former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and the late Charlie Kirk, following President Trump’s successful podcast tour ahead of the election.
He has also traveled to a number of key battleground states, as well as South Carolina, which will play a massive role in the Democratic Party presidential primary as the first state to go to the polls.
In addition, Newsom has attempted to raise his national profile by repeatedly sparring with the federal government. The governor has unsuccessfully attempted to push back against federal intervention in his state, which has included military deployments, and is currently attempting to pass a measure that will draw out five Republican-controlled U.S. House seats in what he claims is a “response” to GOP-led redistricting efforts in Texas and elsewhere.
He has also transformed his social media presence to appeal to a national audience, most notably through bizarre posts meant to mimic President Trump’s speaking style.
Newsom, who is set to be term-limited as governor after his term ends in 2027, told CBS News that he will ultimately decide on a White House bid after the 2026 midterm elections. “Fate will determine that,” he said when asked whether he planned on formally announcing a campaign any time soon.
While presidential election polls are largely speculative this far out from Election Day, Newsom has indeed experienced a polling bump after launching efforts to increase his national profile.
According to the Race to the WH Democratic Party primary polling average, Newsom currently sits in second place with 21 percent of the vote, trailing only former Vice President Kamala Harris. The California governor has also topped more than one national poll and briefly took the top spot in late September.
Recent surveys included in the average from Alaska Survey Research, McLaughlin & Associates and YouGov, all of which were conducted in September or October, found Newsom in the lead. AtlasIntel, which has the distinction of being the most accurate pollster of the 2024 presidential election, found Newsom with a commanding lead of 16 percentage points.
