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By Jesus Mesa
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A majority of Washington insiders view California Governor Gavin Newsom as the best positioned Democrat to lead the party during President Donald Trump's second term, putting him well ahead of any other tested contender.
Roughly three-quarters of Democratic and Republican respondents identified Newsom as their top choice, according to a new survey from Punchbowl News and LSG, an independent public affairs firm.
Why It Matters
Newsom has consistently been mentioned among the leading candidates in most polls of the 2028 primary. He has also delivered a number of speeches around the country criticizing the Trump administration and recently trolled President Donald Trump on social media by copying his posting style and taking umbrage with his policy offerings, which has boosted his profile.
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In March, an Emerson College poll showed his net approval rating at plus-2 points, up from minus-11 points in December. But his standing among early primary voters tells a different story. A Saint Anselm College poll conducted March 16-18 showed Newsom's support in New Hampshire's Democratic primary at 15 percent, down 9 points since November.
What To Know
The results mark a consistent finding across Punchbowl's three most recent surveys, conducted monthly from October through March. Respondents were drawn from K Street leaders and senior Capitol Hill staff.
Behind Newsom, roughly one-third of those surveyed named Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as the party's next leader. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York each garnered 30 percent.
Asked whether he would run for president, Newsom said family came first but that he was actively considering a campaign.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't considering it," Newsom told CBS News in October, when asked about a potential 2028 presidential run.
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Newsom and Trump have clashed repeatedly since Trump's return to office. The two have not spoken since Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles last summer for immigration enforcement. During a winter visit to Washington seeking wildfire recovery aid, Newsom's office said the administration refused to grant him a meeting.
In January, the Trump administration went further, blocking his access to the official U.S. venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos, preventing a scheduled Fortune magazine interview where multiple Trump officials had appeared.
The clashes intensified in March. Newsom blamed Trump for triggering a global oil and gas price spike through the Iran war, saying it cost Americans $1.5 billion more at the pump in a single week.
Trump responded by attacking Newsom's dyslexia, disclosed in his recently published memoir, saying he opposed candidates with "learning disabilities" for president and calling him "a low IQ person" and "dumb."
What People Are Saying
Newsom speaking to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, said on March 3: "Trump is a historic president, historically unpopular. He's going to get crushed, shellacked in the midterms. He is, he's toast, and he knows it."
Trump speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said on March 17: "Gavin Newsom has admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia. Honestly, I'm all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president."
What Happens Next
Newsom said he will decide on a 2028 bid after the midterms; his second term as governor ends in January 2027 due to term limits.
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