It's no secret that Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who is term-limited in his current position, is considering running for president. There was even chatter about it during the 2024 election when then-President Joe Biden was rapidly declining and it appeared he would be replaced as the Democratic nominee. He, of course, was, but by another Californian, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Then there's how Newsom launched his podcast this year, where he's invited conservative influencers to appear to discuss hot-button issues where they supposedly find common ground. These appearances have certainly made news, but how Newsom's fellow Californians feel about the podcast and his job as governor, as well as whether he should even run for president, don't look too good for him.
On Friday morning, a local Fox outlet, KTVU, reported that voters were "skeptical" of Newsom's recent purported political shift regarding the podcast and the guests he brings on. You could certainly say that!
The Sacramento Bee recently reported on a poll from Probolsky Research. "More than 40% of California voters believe Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent pivot to the center on issues such as transgender athletes and homelessness are either a betrayal of his principles or an effort to make himself more palatable to moderates as he mulls a run for national office, according to a new poll shared exclusively with The Sacramento Bee," the piece begins.
Respondents were asked, "How would you characterize Governor Newsom’s recent actions and words?" They were to choose from three responses: "It’s a fake attempt to make people think he is changing, but he will never really change," as well as "It is a betrayal of his values and the base that elected him," and "It’s a valid strategy to reach out to more voters."
Twenty-six percent chose that first response, and 17 percent said his "recent actions and words" constitute "a betrayal." In other words, it's not a good look for him either way, given that 43 percent of respondents are angry at him for one reason or another.
Republican Assembly Leader James Gallagher also provided a statement to The Bee, and he was less than impressed with Newsom's pivot. "Now he’s talking tough on crime, clearing homeless encampments, and weighing in on sports policy. But his record tells a different story," Gallagher said. "This isn’t about helping Californians. It’s about trying to impress voters in New Hampshire. People can see the difference between a leader and a political actor."
The poll asked 928 California voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
The write-up from The Sacramento Bee focused on "the governor’s recent remarks on transgender athletes in sports, order to break up homeless encampments, and sending state police to help local agencies crack down on violent crime." Such topics landed Newsom in the news, especially that first topic, which he discussed with Charlie Kirk.
During one episode, the term "Latinx" came up. Although Newsom tried to dismiss it for the ridiculous term that it is, CNN was able to find instances of the governor using it.
Though he may be trying hard to make it seem like he's moderating, Newsom and California's legislature are particularly opposed to Republicans, or at least President Donald Trump.
Last month, in light of Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against such tariffs. There was even a news piece on the governor's official website bragging about it, stating, "What they are saying: Governor Newsom’s lawsuit to end Trump tariffs good for consumers, businesses and families." For what it's worth, attorney Alan Dershowitz doesn't think such lawsuits have standing, given he thinks the state attorneys general don't actually have that power.
This lawsuit is just one of many against the second Trump administration, which hit the first 100 days mark earlier this week. It turns out that Newsom is even more opposed to Trump now than in the president's first term. "100 days in, California is suing Trump at almost double the pace of his first term," read a Wednesday headline from CalMatters. It doesn't look like they'll stop any time soon, as a Thursday headline from the Los Angeles Times states, "California’s legal challenges to Trump are just getting started."
Such lawsuits are not exactly surprising, not only when it comes to Newsom's animosity toward Trump, but also because Newsom approved a $25 million fund for legal challenges against the Trump administration. The idea was planned early into the Trump administration's second term, even being discussed in January as wildfires raged in the state.
There's more bad news for Newsom in the polls. The Bee article and the reporting from KTVU mention Newsom having a 33 percent approval rating, according to Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill. That poll from mid-April also showed that 59 percent believe Newsom should not run for president in 2028.
Curiously, the poll also showed that voters are pretty much evenly divided on whether Harris should run for California governor in 2026. She still easily leads in the poll, as 31 percent say they would vote for her if she did enter the race. That being said, 39 percent are undecided.
That poll was conducted April 12-14 with 1,000 California registered voters for the overall survey, and slightly fewer voters included in the primary questions.
Then there are the polls for the overall 2028 field. Harris leads in these polls as well, and we're still hearing as to if she'll run for governor or president again. In a Morning Consult poll from March, though, Harris leads with 36 percent support, while Newsom enjoys just 5 percent.
California isn't one of the more important states for presidential primaries. It may have the highest population in the country, but the primary didn't take place last year until March 5, for instance, at which point it was only a week before Trump officially became the Republican nominee once more. If Newsom does run for higher office, for better or worse, he likely can't rely on California voters to help him win the nomination.