California Made Gavin Newsom Famous. Could It Sink His 2028 Presidential Ambitions?

Gavin Newsom's possible 2028 presidential campaign is already taking shape in South Carolina, even as the California governor says he still does not know whether he will run. Supporters sold “Gavin 2028” buttons outside his events, while state party officials, college presidents and pro-Newsom activists openly discussed his national ambitions.

Newsom spent the week moving rapidly across the state that will host the Democrats' first presidential primary. His schedule included eight public events and several private engagements, a pace that resembled an active campaign. The visit formed part of his “take it back tour” through the Deep South, and he left open the possibility of announcing his decision before the end of the year.

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The right question. Honestly, I don't know.

“The right question. Honestly, I don't know,” Newsom told The Associated Press when asked about a presidential bid. “I think this thing's happening. I mean, you already feel it, right? There are folks out here, they're saying they're already starting to interview state directors. So this thing is going to happen very, very quickly.”

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I think this thing's happening. I mean, you already feel it, right? There are folks out here, they're saying they're already starting to interview state directors. So this thing is going to happen very, very quickly.

Yet South Carolina voters identified a problem Newsom cannot simply change: California itself. Vera DeVito, a 78-year-old Democrat who attended one of his events in Summerville, said she knew little about his policies but viewed his home state as a liability. “It's going to be hard for him to appeal to the whole country,” she said. “Everybody thinks California is different, especially in the South. They're not crazy about California.”

Newsom's team acknowledges that “California derangement syndrome” is real. Since Ronald Reagan became the last California governor to win the presidency, other prominent candidates from the state, including Pete Wilson, Jerry Brown, Tom Steyer and Kamala Harris, have failed to reach the White House. Potential rivals from battleground states, including Pete Buttigieg of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, could argue that they are better positioned to attract the moderate and independent voters needed to win nationally.

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It's going to be hard for him to appeal to the whole country. Everybody thinks California is different, especially in the South. They're not crazy about California.