California Governor Gavin Newsom has steadily climbed the ranks among potential Democratic contenders for the 2028 presidential election, with his latest surge coinciding with his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump. A new poll from Politico and partners, released Wednesday, shows Newsom topping former Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical Democratic primary in California.
Newsom earned 25 percent support among California Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, followed by Harris at 19 percent, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 13 percent, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) at 10 percent.
Favorability for Gavin Newsom Jumps
Long viewed as a potential frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Newsom’s favorability recently jumped 3 percentage points, reaching 13 percent, according to Echelon Insights.
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This increase reflects voter approval of Newsom’s strategy of consistently targeting Trump, mocking the president on social media, and actively opposing the administration’s agenda.
The governor’s initiatives include a push to redraw California’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections to secure more House seats, countering a similar Republican effort in Texas.
Gavin Newsom Takes On Donald Trump, MAGA
For months, polling has indicated that Democratic voters want their party leaders to push back more aggressively against Trump’s agenda, which Republicans have largely been able to advance due to control of the House and Senate. Party members have voiced frustration over Democrats’ inconsistent messaging and lack of a clear action plan.
Newsom, however, has vowed to continue challenging Trump and other MAGA Republicans, leveraging social media to gain national attention.
How Gavin Newsom Uses Social Media
Over the past month, Newsom’s office has gained widespread attention for mimicking Trump’s signature all-caps social media posts, often using humor and memes to target prominent Republicans.
Recent examples include –
Mocking Vice President JD Vance for a past verbal spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Criticizing Texas Senator Ted Cruz for a math error during the redistricting debate
Trolling Fox News contributor Tomi Lahren for her comments on Newsom’s social media tactics
These tactics have helped Newsom capitalize on the same viral strategies used by the former White House to communicate policy and engage voters.
What Diiferent Polls Tell About Gavin Newsom
Newsom has not officially declared a presidential bid, but recent polling indicates growing support –
McLaughlin and Associates, a conservative group, found Newsom’s favorability at 9 percent in July, up 5 points from May.
Morning Consult, a left-leaning firm, reported Newsom at 5 percent in March, rising to 11 percent in June.
Emerson College recorded his favorability at roughly 12 percent in June.
“In today’s fractured media environment, it’s never been more important to communicate immediately and effectively. Governor Newsom gets that,” said Lindsey Cobia, a Newsom spokesperson, in July.
“While the Trump administration uses these tactics to demean and belittle the powerless, Gavin Newsom is using them to stand up to the powerful and call out the authoritarian methods of the current White House occupant.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
