California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) gave a three-word response to the question of whether to run for president in 2028.
Newsom did not provide a clear answer Thursday about his future political plans when asked directly by The California Post.
“It’s still early days,” Newsom said at a news conference after signing a bill authorizing $590 million in emergency loans to the Bay Area Transportation Authority.
He then moved on to releasing his new memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” which will hit shelves on February 24.
According to a synopsis from Penguin Random House, the book explores “the long personal journey that ultimately led him to become one of the most well-known and accomplished elected officials in the United States,” and highlights his time as mayor of San Francisco before becoming governor. It also touches on “a deeply resilient California story about identity, belonging, and the defining moments that inspired political life.”
“But there’s a book that – by the way, it talks a lot about the Bay Area and our respective histories, and, I’m looking forward to sharing it…” Newsom said. “We’re going on a book tour this weekend and next week.”
Newsom went on to discuss what he called “the journey we are on together,” the California Post reported.
“This is not just my journey — we’ll see where it takes us — but this is a precious moment in American history as we mark the 250th anniversary of this great adventure conceived by our Founding Fathers in the best of the Roman Republic and Greek democracy,” he said.
He added: “Whether we surrender to our fate and decide to run in a particular campaign or serve in a particular office, we all have a responsibility and a role to step up in this time and I think that’s reflected here today.”
Early Democratic polls continue to show Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris as the leading contenders for the 2028 nomination.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last June, Newsom did not deny that he might eventually seek higher office.
“I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path I can see,” he said at the time, noting it was too early to make a decision.
Newsom added that he was biding his time to see if it was the right time, the Wall Street Journal reported.
On the Republican side, President Donald Trump appeared intent on seeking an unconstitutional third term in an interview with NBC News earlier this month, a prospect he had previously considered in the fall but later admitted he would not be able to run again.
Asked if he thought he would still be president in January 2029, Trump said: “I don’t know. It’ll be interesting.”
He has also repeatedly put Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the list of 2028 presidential candidates, but has not chosen the person most likely to lead.
“I don’t have to worry now. I’ve got three years,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “JD is awesome, Marco – I think they’re both awesome, really.”
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