By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday, Nov. 12, that he expects to decide in early January whether to seek the presidency in 2028, providing his clearest timeline yet for a potential White House campaign as his final term in Sacramento approaches its conclusion.
Speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency during the United Nations climate conference in Antalya, Newsom said he intends to consult his family before making a decision.
“As it relates to 2028, we’ll make that decision in the next few months,” Newsom said. “I’ll make the determination at the beginning of the year. So we’ll spend the next few weeks with the family and make a decision early January.”
According to the Washington Examiner, the announcement establishes a timetable for a decision that has been the subject of speculation for more than a year.
Newsom, who was first elected governor in 2018 and reelected in 2022, is prohibited by California’s term limits from seeking a third consecutive term. His second term concludes in January 2027, approximately when he plans to determine whether to pursue the Democratic presidential nomination.
The governor previously said that the support of his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four children would be essential to any decision to launch a national campaign.
He has also stated that he would not compete against former Vice President Kamala Harris if she decides to seek the Democratic nomination in 2028.
In a September interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Newsom addressed the possibility of Harris entering the presidential race.
“I don’t know if she runs, but we’ll see,” Newsom said. “But I wouldn’t run if she ran.”
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024, has not announced whether she will pursue another presidential campaign. Her decision remains one of the factors surrounding Newsom’s potential candidacy.
Newsom’s comments came during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, where he participated in discussions involving environmental policy and California’s approach to emissions reduction.
During the visit, the governor also addressed the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in Democrats winning control of both chambers of Congress.
“Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it ended last week in the U.S.,” Newsom told Anadolu. He characterized the election results as a rejection of the president’s policies and called on Democrats to present an alternative governing agenda.
According to Fox News, Newsom is among several Democrats whose names have been discussed in connection with the 2028 presidential election, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Newsom has increased his national political activities during his second term, frequently criticizing Trump’s administration on immigration, climate policy and federal-state relations.
His potential candidacy has also drawn attention among California voters. A September survey conducted by UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center and Politico found that 37% of registered California voters said they would be excited about a Newsom presidential campaign, compared with 48% in March.
The same survey found that enthusiasm for a potential Harris campaign declined from 41% to 28% over that period.
Those findings reflect voter attitudes in California rather than nationwide Democratic primary preferences.
Newsom’s early January timetable would place his decision more than a year before the first presidential primary contests of the 2028 election cycle.
The governor has not formally declared his candidacy, established a presidential campaign committee or announced a campaign organization.
For now, Newsom maintains that his next political move will depend on discussions with his family and his assessment of the developing Democratic presidential field, with a decision expected shortly after the new year.
Original article
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