Gavin Newsom tops Kamala Harris in 2028 presidential poll of California Democrats

WASHINGTON ― In a battle between two Californians considering Democratic runs for president in 2028, Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a slight edge over former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted by Politico and The Citrin Center public opinion firm, found Newsom is the top choice of 25% of California's Democratic voters in the 2028 Democratic primary, leading all prospective candidates including Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, who is supported by 19% of the state's Democrats.

The two high-profile Californians are followed in the poll by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (13%), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (10%), Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (4%) and New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (4%).

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear each has support from 3% of the state's Democratic voters, the poll found.

The Democratic breakdown was taken from a subset of 1,445 registered California voters polled between July 28 and Aug. 12.

Although early in the 2028 presidential election cycle, the poll offers a glimpse into the thinking of Democrats in a state that is the party's power center and home to the largest number of Democratic voters. For both Newsom and Harris, winning their home state would be critical to secure the Democratic nomination in 2028 if they decide to run.

Newsom, who has acknowledged he might run for president in 2028, has become one of the party's most forceful and visible critics of President Donald Trump. He recently launched a redistricting campaign in California with national implications to redraw the state's congressional maps to counter Republican redistricting efforts in Texas.

Harris, the former Democratic nominee who lost to Trump in the 2024 election, on July 30 announced she would be passing on a 2026 run for governor to replace Newsom, whose term is set to end. Harris's decision opened the door for a possible presidential bid in 2028, though several other Democratic contenders have started to make moves toward their own runs.