Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday on CBS he will consider a potential bid for his party’s presidential nomination in the 2028 election following the 2026 midterms.
Despite earlier speculation Newsom could be a top contender for the Democratic nomination, the California governor remained noncommittal until Sunday. During an interview on CBS’s “Sunday Morning,” national correspondent Robert Costa observed Newsom “slinging shots behind the coffee bar” during a South Carolina tour, noting, “this guy might run for president.”
“The idea that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, that still struggles to read scripts, that was always in the back of the classroom, the idea that you even throw that out is in and of itself extraordinary,” Newsom said. “Who the hell knows? I’m looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment, and that’s the question for the American people.”
Costa continued pressing Newsom on a potential run, asking if it would be “fair to say” the Democrat lawmaker is going to “give it serious thought” after the 2026 midterm elections.
“Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom responded. “I’d just be lying, and I can’t do that.”
While Newsom has faced criticism from California voters for years over his policies, including crime and homelessness, the governor came under intense scrutiny following the disastrous Los Angeles County fires. The incident, which affected both Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities, resulted in thousands of homes burning and hundreds of residents still displaced.
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Newsom has opposed certain progressive policies in recent months, facing pushback from his own party after stating biological men competing in women’s sports is “deeply unfair.” California, though, continues to grapple with high rates of homelessness and crime in addition to a growing government role in education.
Despite the criticism from his own voters, Newsom appears to continue focusing on opposing the Trump administration.
In February 2025, the Democrat governor launched a podcast, and his press office’s later ramped up attacks on X against President Donald Trump and other Republicans. But even with his online presence, many Californians remain skeptical of his leadership and priorities.
A Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll from April 2025 found that 54% of 6,201 registered voters polled believe Newsom is “doing things that might benefit him as a possible candidate for president,” while just 26% think he’s “governing the state and helping to solve its problems.”
When Costa asked if he is “moving closer” to “figuring out” his own “why” — what could compel him to officially launch a 2028 campaign — Newsom responded by quoting German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
“Yeah, Nietzsche said if you have a compelling ‘why,’ you can endure any ‘how.’ So I don’t think, I think the biggest challenge for anyone who runs for any office is people see right through you if you don’t have that why. You’re doing it for the wrong reasons,” Newsom said. “Look, that faith will determine that.”
An Emerson College poll from October 2025 found that, in a hypothetical matchup between Newsom and Vice President JD Vance, 46% support Vance, 45% back Newsom, and 10% remain undecided. The poll noted that, since July, Newsom has gained three points, while Vance has picked up one.
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