Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party

The California governor and political scion is often described as a future U.S. presidential favorite. But his consistent deference to party consensus undermines his future political ambitions.

Governor of California Gavin Newsom in 2019. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Source.

With a population of nearly 40 million people, the U.S. state of California is the most populous state in the country by a significant margin and a major stronghold of the Democratic Party. Home to Silicon Valley and Hollywood, and thus the global centers of software and entertainment, California’s economy is projected to surpass Germany’s in the coming years to become the world’s fourth-largest.¹ Since 2019, the Governor of California has been currently 57-year-old Gavin Newsom, who has been frequently tipped as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.² A photogenic career politician, Newsom rose to the governorship of California after eight years as Lieutenant Governor under Jerry Brown from 2011 to 2019, and seven years as Mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. In March 2025, Newsom launched a podcast, unorthodoxly interviewing several right-wing figures including Charlie Kirk, Michael Savage, and Steve Bannon.³ According to one Democratic political strategist, “Gavin Newsom will be president. The only question is when.”⁴