Gavin Newsom on possible 2028 White House run

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says that several factors would lead him not to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2028.

Those reasons include “not being able to look you in the eye and say I have a compelling vision that I think is better than the people that are standing next to me left and right, that I meet the moment and that I'm not wasting your time or anyone else's time. That we can actually be successful,” he told PBS News Hour co-anchor Amna Nawaz.

Newsom also described the challenges of having young children while considering a 2028 run and weighing that professional pursuit against time with his family.

“You don't get that over again,” Newsom said, adding that two of his children don’t want him to run.

The governor has been traveling to early primary states, such as Alabama and both Carolinas, as his eight years as California’s leader draw to a close.

Newsom said he doesn’t care about what the prediction markets or the progressive Democratic Socialists of America say about him. His kids’ wishes matter more.

“That's what matters, is what they say. And obviously, my rock star wife,” he said.

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