OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:13 PM – Monday, October 27, 2025
California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has confirmed that he is considering a presidential bid in the 2028 presidential election.
In a CBS News Sunday Morning interview on Sunday, Newsom said that he was giving serious thought to a White House bid after the 2026 midterm elections, acknowledging that to deny such consideration would be “lying.”
“Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom told “CBS Sunday Morning” in a pre-taped interview. “I’d just be lying. And I can’t do that.”
Newsom, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election as governor in 2026, has been steadily increasing his national visibility.
Despite being a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, particularly over issues such as illegal immigration and redistricting, Newsom launched a podcast this year featuring conversations with both conservative and liberal figures — aiming to engage a broad audience and bolster a more “centrist” image.
A recent CBS poll also found that 72% of Democrats and 48% of registered voters are in favor of such a run — reflecting a strong backing within his own party — despite broader statewide support being much more divided.
Californians critical of Newsom often argue that his administration has been inadequate in managing California’s wildfire crises, with some, including actor Mel Gibson, publicly accusing Newsom of “criminal negligence” in the response.
The state’s persistent homelessness crisis and rising housing costs have long fueled discontent as well, with figures like former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer stating: “We need a new governor. Jobs are leaving, homelessness is skyrocketing, and the state can’t even issue unemployment checks to people struggling right now to get by.”
The former San Diego mayor also previously criticized Newsom in 2021 for a new policy change that shortened the sentences of 76,000 felons in California, including many who have committed violent crimes.
In addition, conservatives in the Golden State highlight Newsom’s perceived elitism, arguing that his polished public image and lifestyle choices show how disconnected he is from the struggles of average Californians. In 2020, Newsom attended a birthday dinner at the upscale French Laundry restaurant in Napa, violating his own public health orders that prohibited gatherings with individuals from multiple households.
Meanwhile, the California governor’s announcement comes amid a wider context of Democrat figures evaluating their political futures. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the failed Democrat candidate in the 2024 presidential election, has similarly hinted at a potential 2028 campaign.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, political observers will be closely watching Newsom’s trajectory.
Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the Democrat governor for permitting California to issue Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) to illegal aliens, following another deadly crash involving an illegal alien driver from India that claimed three lives.
“The truth is, we do set the guidelines by which licenses can be issued. We sent that guidance out, Gavin Newsom said, ‘I’m not gonna follow it, I’m gonna allow this foreigner to get an upgraded license.’ That was Gavin Newsom’s choice, the state issues commercial driver’s licenses. We give the guidance, they issue them. I gave the guidance, Gavin Newsom didn’t follow it, and three people are now dead because he refused to follow the rules that come from DOT,” Duffy stated during a recent Fox News segment.
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