Key Points – California Governor Gavin Newsom, despite not officially entering any presidential race, has positioned himself consistently as a national political figure, sparking speculation he’s aiming for a 2028 presidential run.
-A recent poll reveals Californians are evenly split on his job performance, but most voters (54%) feel Newsom is more focused on his presidential aspirations than the state’s current issues.
-His pending departure in 2027 has triggered intense speculation about his successor, with Vice President Kamala Harris considering a gubernatorial run.
-The poll underscores a growing perception among voters that Newsom’s national ambitions overshadow his responsibilities as governor, potentially shaping California’s political landscape.
Gavin Newsom Running for President?
For someone who has never officially run for president, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has certainly spent a lot of time over the years behaving like someone who is running for president.
Newsom has tried to establish himself as a national figure, doing things like launching a podcast, debating with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and campaigning for other candidates in non-California states. He even introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to change gun laws.
While backing Joe Biden and later Kamala Harris in 2024, Newsom put himself forward repeatedly, to the point where it’s been widely assumed he will run for president in 2028.
Newsom still has about a year and a half left in his second term as California governor. And a new poll indicates that some voters see him as checked out of his current job and focused on his political future.
The Newsom View
According to a poll released this week by the University of California at Berkeley’s Institute of Government Studies, Californians hold “very mixed and highly partisan views of the job Gavin Newsom is doing as governor.” Newsom is approved and disapproved by equal percentages of voters in the state, 46 percent each.
Voters are similarly evenly split on the question of the governor’s “ability to be effective in looking out for California’s interests when dealing with the Trump administration.” Newsom has been a frequent Trump critic, while also pledging to work with the president on certain things, such as a Newsom proposal for the state and the federal government to collaborate on a proposed $7.5 billion tax credit to keep film productions in the state of California.
However, the poll also found that 54 percent of respondents believe that “ as Newsom serves out his final two years as governor, he is devoting more of his attention to things that might benefit himself as a possible candidate for president than to governing the state and helping to solve its problems.” Just 26 percent of respondents disagree with that statement.
The poll also found that majorities believe that California will be negatively affected by the Trump Administration’s policies. Of respondents to the poll, 64 percent said they believe that the president’s proposed tariffs will “negatively affect California business and agriculture,” with majorities saying the same about the Medi-Cal insurance program, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the state’s schools.
Who’s Next For Governor?
Newsom is term-limited and will therefore leave office in early 2027, and there has been much speculation over who could run to succeed him. It’s likely to go down as one of the most closely-watched races of the 2026 cycle.
One possible contender is former Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who is a Californian and was formerly the state attorney general and later a U.S. senator from the state. Harris has said that she will decide by late summer whether she will run for governor.
Per CBS News, other Democratic candidates have already declared that they’re running, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former State Controller Betty Yee, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, and businessman Stephen J. Cloobeck.
Declared Republican candidates include Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton.
Newsom vs. Harris?
There’s also a chance that Harris could skip the gubernatorial run and run for president again, which would presumably pit her against Newsom, her fellow Bay Area Democrat.
There’s likely to be a crowded Democratic primary for president in 2028. According to a very early polling average published by RacetotheWH, Harris has a lead with 27.1 percent, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is second with 16.1 percent, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is third with 12.9 percent, followed by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) with 8.6 percent, Newsom with 7 percent, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, each with 4.8 percent.
About the Author:
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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