A recent Emerson College poll indicates growing support for California Governor Gavin Newsom among Democratic voters as the field of potential 2028 presidential candidates expands.
The poll, released on Friday, shows Newsom’s support at 25%, a notable increase from 12% in a similar survey conducted in June.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg maintained a steady 16% support, unchanged from June, while former Vice President Kamala Harris saw a decline, dropping from 13% to 11% in this latest poll.
Several other candidates, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Cory Booker, and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, garnered less than 10% each.
Interestingly, 3% of respondents expressed a desire for a different candidate, while nearly 16% remained undecided.
Despite leading in support, the poll also highlighted that no candidate managed to secure at least half of the support from major Democratic primary votes noted a few years ago.
Newsom’s boost in popularity appears to cut across various demographic groups, with a notable 12-point increase among voters aged 30 and under, reaching 18%.
Additionally, Newsom is gaining national attention due to the ongoing political maneuvering surrounding redistricting across the country. In Texas, Republicans have approved a new congressional map likely to help them gain five seats in 2026, a move attributed to pressure from the White House and former President Trump.
This new map is expected to be signed soon by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
In response, Newsom and other California Democrats are proposing their own congressional map, which is designed to counterbalance Republican interests in Texas. This map will be presented to voters in special elections scheduled for November.
Newsom has also made headlines for his humorous jabs at Trump, mimicking the former president’s style in his social media posts as he positions himself as a prominent figure in the Democratic resistance against Trump in a potential second term.
The Emerson College Polling Survey was conducted between August 25th and August 26th, sampling 1,000 active registered voters with a margin of error of 3 points. The survey included insights from 387 major Democratic voters, with an error margin of 4.9 points.
