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California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed his long-speculated interest in running for president during the 2028 election during an exclusive interview with CBS Sunday Morning.
"Yeah, I'd be lying otherwise," Newsom replied when asked if he'd give "serious thought" to a presidential campaign in the interview, which was taped in San Jose on Thursday (October 23) and aired on Sunday (October 26). "I'd just be lying. And I'm not — I can't do that."
"Fate will determine that," he added when asked about whether he was leaning closer to a national candidacy.
Newsom is favored in the latest AtlasIntel, YouGov, Yahoo/YouGov and Emerson College polls, while former Vice President Kamala Harris led in the last two Echelon Insights polls released in September and last week. Harris led in most hypothetical polls for the 2028 Democratic nomination following her 2024 election loss to President Donald Trump, however, Newsom has gained momentum in recent months by parodying Trump's social media approach, as well as asserting himself in the opposition of ICE raids within his state, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to counter gerrymandering in Texas and lawsuits challenging Trump's tariffs.
A recent Emerson College Polling survey published last month showed that Newsom and Vice President JD Vance were tied for support in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup.