California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a rally with Harris County Democrats at the IBEW local 716 union hall on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Houston. Karen Warren/AP
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) keeps teasing a potential presidential run…again, and again, and again.
It began in earnest last month, when, in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Newsom admitted he would “be lying” if he claimed he did not plan to consider a 2028 run after next year’s midterms. He continued to fuel speculation this weekend, when, on Saturday—fresh off California’s redistricting win—he headed to Texas, where the redistricting battle began. As he spoke, the crowd reportedly chanted “2028,” and Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) introduced Newsom by saying: “I’m here today because he is a future president of the United States of America.”
When Newsom took the stage, he exhorted the crowd to “stand up.”
“Let’s stand up to those that have been humiliated, those that feel bullied, those that are afraid and scared,” he said. “Let’s stand up for those that have given up, and let’s give them hope. Let’s stand up for the rule of law. Let’s stand up for a system of checks and balances, and let’s stand up for our democracy, for all of us.”
And on Sunday, in a sit-down interview with Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union, Newsom said he would wait until after the midterms to make a decision. He previewed a potential campaign based on affordability—a winning message for Democrats.
“We have to democratize this economy if we are going to save democracy. You can’t have ten percent of people own two-thirds of the wealth in this country…those were fundamental issues that were obviously present in this election on Tuesday.”
“Donald Trump said he would make us wealthier and healthier,” he added. “We’re poorer and sicker.”
And if all that isn’t enough of an indication that Newsom seems to be soft-launching a stronger presence on the national stage, consider that he’s also releasing a memoir in February.
If he does decide to run, Newsom would likely emerge as a strong candidate in what could be a crowded field. His favorability rating has been on the rise this year as he has directly taken on Trump with trolling on social media. As he explained in an interview with NBC News last month: “I put a mirror up to [Trump’s] madness.”
