California Governor Gavin Newsom said Sunday that he would consider a run for president after the midterm elections next year, a day after former Vice President Kamala Harris said she would consider running again.
Asked by Robert Costa on CBS’s Sunday Morning if he would run for the White House in 2028, Newsom initially demurred.
“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’d even throw that out is in and of itself extraordinary. Who the hell knows? I’m looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028, and who meets that moment,” 58-year-old Newsom said.
Read more: What Gavin Newsom’s Career Reveals About His Presidential Ambitions
When pushed by Costa if he would give the idea “serious thought” after the midterms, Newsom replied: “Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise. I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.”
Newsom, as the governor of the most populous Democratic state in the U.S., would be among the likely frontrunners in any future Democratic primary.
He has emerged as a key Democratic figure of resistance to Donald Trump during his second term, battling the president on everything from his deployment of National Guard troops, redistricting efforts, and what he has characterized as an increasingly authoritarian crackdown on his opponents.
Newsom has also drawn attention for his trolling of Trump on social media. His X account is often used to parody Trump’s all-caps writing style and use of AI art.
At the same time, Newsom is somewhat unique among top Democrats in that he has shown a willingness to reach out to conservatives. He had previously hosted the late right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk on his podcast after his son recommended he reach out.
A poll released last month named Newsom as the frontrunner among Democrats as the preferred nominee in 2028, with 21% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters choosing him. Former Vice President Kamala Harris came second in the Yahoo/YouGov poll on 19%, while New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came in at 12%.
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