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By Andrew Stanton
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California Governor Gavin Newsom's chances in the 2028 Democratic primary surged in the latest poll after he attracted national attention for his handling of Los Angeles protests over President Donald Trump's immigration policy.
Newsweek reached out to Newsom's team for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Newsom has long been viewed as a likely presidential candidate for Democrats, and has presented himself as a foil and leading opponent to the Trump administration. The Los Angeles protests earlier presented him with perhaps his highest-profile clash against the president so far. His big moment came when Trump federalized National Guard troops, arguing local officials were not doing enough to quell demonstrations that at times grew violent, though most protesters were peaceful.
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The governor said Trump taking control of the National Guard only escalated the situation, which he believed was already under control, casting the move as an abuse of power. Newsom sued to block the federalization of the troops, though the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked another judge's order to return the troops to Newsom's control.
Still, Newsom's handling of the protests has earned praise from many Democrats, and the latest poll finds that his support against other hypothetical candidates has ticked up since March.
What to Know
Newsom's support more than doubled in the latest poll of Democratic voters conducted by Morning Consult, though former Vice President Kamala Harris still held a strong lead over other potential candidates.
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Eleven percent of respondents said they plan to support Newsom in the primary if he chooses to run, up from 5 percent in March, according to the poll. Harris' support slightly fell from 36 percent to 34 percent.
Meanwhile, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg saw his support drop from 10 percent to 7 percent, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's support increased from 5 percent to 7 percent, the poll found.
An additional 26 percent said they intended to vote for someone else, while 16 percent were still unsure who they would cast their ballots for in the primary.
The poll surveyed 1,000 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents from June 13 to June 15, 2025.
Protests began after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began conducting raids in Los Angeles earlier in June to fulfill Trump's promise of mass deportations. The raids are following legal directives from federal authorities, but critics have raised concerns about the treatment of migrants by federal authorities as well as the tactics used by immigration agents during the raids.
Amid the protests, Trump deployed about 4,000 members of California's National Guard and the 700 U.S. Marines to assist in stopping violence despite objections from Newsom and other local officials.
The White House accused Newsom of not taking sufficient action to quell the protest. Newsom, however, said Californians "do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces" and that Trump's move was a "serious breach of state sovereignty." Newsom has also accused the Trump administration of deliberately spreading doctored and misleading images of recent protests in Los Angeles.
While Newsom is viewed as a prospective candidate, his fellow Californian Harris has led most polls. Her decision about whether to run for president will shape the nature of the race. Harris has also been floated as a potential candidate to succeed Newsom as the California governor.
What People Are Saying
Newsom told The Wall Street Journal earlier in June: "I'm not thinking about running, but it's a path that I could see unfold."
CNN data analyst Harry Enten said: "If Gavin Newsom wanted to take on Donald Trump and loves the attention, he has 100 percent gotten it. Take a look here. Google searches of Gavin Newsom with Donald Trump, get this, up 9,700 percent. More folks are googling Gavin Newsom's name with Donald Trump than ever before."
What Happens Next
Although most candidates will likely announce after the 2026 midterms, candidates are already working to build name recognition and support from Democrats. The protests in Los Angeles have calmed since last week, but Newsom will likely remain a top opponent to Trump's policies through the rest of his term.
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