Newsom campaigns in South Carolina; California called his biggest liability

Allies openly hint at White House bid during Newsom’s South Carolina swing

When California Gov. Gavin Newsom campaigned across South Carolina this past week, supporters sold “Gavin 2028” buttons outside his events, according to The Associated Press.

Newsom’s allies — the South Carolina Democratic Party chair, college presidents and pro-Newsom activists — openly hinted at his national aspirations during the visit, The Associated Press reported.

People close to the governor have privately referred to a potential White House campaign as “the next thing,” according to AP correspondent Steve Peoples, reporting from Summerville, S.C. The visit comes as Newsom stakes a claim as an early front-runner in the Democratic Party’s 2028 shadow primary, according to the AP.

South Carolina is the state scheduled to hold Democrats’ first 2028 presidential primary, The Associated Press reported. South Carolina voters identified California itself as the governor’s biggest political liability — one, Peoples wrote, “he cannot change.”

California is “a symbol of modern-day liberalism that people across the political spectrum love to hate,” according to South Carolina voters, per Peoples’ reporting from Summerville, S.C.

Newsom has barely begun to address the California question publicly, Peoples reported. The governor himself has stopped short of formally declaring a presidential campaign, according to The Associated Press.