Written by Betsalel Shafa

Two polls conducted from June 10 to 15 show Newsom’s backing rising from about 4-5 percent to 8-11 percent among Democratic voters. Newsom will be term-limited out of office after the 2026 elections, just as the primary campaign looms. Currently the governor of California, Newsom is a skilled speaker, and his forceful opposition to Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops during Los Angeles immigration protests is credited with energizing Democratic voters. However, he has received backlash for the catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires and the damage caused by the ICE protest. This whole discussion comes as Kamala Harris remains the clear frontrunner with roughly 30 percent support, more than double Newsom’s share. However, there are some contenders, such as Pete Buttigieg, with 15 percent support. Both he and Ocasio-Cortez have the lead on Newsom.  The California governor has not formally declared a 2028 presidential bid but has told reporters it is a path he could envision. He has paved that path with his many endeavors to pursue potential voters, such as his attempt to start his podcast, going on different interviews, and being vocal on a few of his more right-leaning views, to gain some support from moderate and swing-state democrats.