California Governor Gavin Newsom is the favorite among the Democratic Party’s possible primary contenders for the 2028 presidential election, according to a new poll.
Newsweek contacted Newsom’s office via email for comment after normal business hours Thursday.
Why It Matters
While Newsom has not formally announced his candidacy for president, he has not ruled it out and pundits have suggested he has a good shot at leading the Democratic Party into the next election.
The poll indicates support for the more aggressive position Newsom has taken in standing up to President Donald Trump and Republicans on issues like the redrawing of state congressional boundaries and Trump’s use of the National Guard. Newsom has also raised his national profile with his mocking of Trump on social media.
Some Democrats believe the governor is meeting calls to fight back harder against Republicans following frustration among the party’s voter base over what many viewed as a feeble response to the Trump administration.
What To Know
The latest Yahoo/YouGov poll shows how Newsom has surged to the front of the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential primary pack with 21 percent of registered voters who lean Democratic choosing him as their preferred candidate.
That puts Newsom slightly ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who garnered 19 percent; New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 12 percent; former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 10 percent; Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, 7 percent; Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, 4 percent; Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, also 4 percent; and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was chosen by 2 percent of voters.
A poll conducted in mid-August by Echelon Insights had Newsom in second place among potential Democratic candidates, with 13 percent support, behind Harris with 26 percent.
Going back to April, an Echelon Insights poll had Newsom trailing in sixth place, with 4 percent, behind Buttigieg and Ocasio-Cortez, who were both at 7 percent. Harris was again in first place, with 28 percent.
The new Yahoo/YouGov survey of 1,690 U.S. adults was conducted from August 29 to September 2. The margin of error is approximately 3.1 percent.
The survey found that Democrats and Democratic leaners under age 45 prefer both Harris (27 percent) and Ocasio-Cortez (22 percent) to Newsom (13 percent) as a potential 2028 presidential nominee. Newsom’s strength is largely concentrated among Democrats over 45, among whom he leads Harris 26 percent to 13 percent.
The poll also found that Newsom’s social media strategy of imitating Trump’s aggressive, all-caps style to mock him was not particularly popular, with 33 percent of respondents approving of it and 43 percent saying they disapprove.
What People Are Saying
Newsom told The Wall Street Journal in June: “I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold.”
CNN’s Harry Enten said in an August 20 X post: “Newsom’s social media strategy/opposition to Trump is working. He’s gained millions of social media followers. Google searches for him are up like a rocket. He’s now the frontrunner for the 2028 Dem nomination per the prediction markets….Democrats want a fighter.”
Trump told reporters in June: “He’s done a terrible job. I like Gavin Newsom. He’s a nice guy, but he’s grossly incompetent, everybody knows.”
What Happens Next
Typically, candidates don’t make campaign announcements until after the midterms, and Newsom’s second term as governor ends in early 2027. A multitude of prominent Democrats are expected to run. Until then, polls will be monitored to gauge Americans’ views on potential candidates.
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