Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said he will decide in early January 2027 whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, putting a timetable on a decision that has fueled speculation about his political future for more than a year.
“I’ll make the determination at the beginning of the year,” Newsom said in an interview Thursday with Turkey’s Anadolu news agency while attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Antalya. “So we’ll spend the next few weeks with the family and make a decision early January.”
Newsom, who is barred by term limits from seeking another gubernatorial term, will leave office in January. He has repeatedly said his family’s support, particularly that of his children, will be central to his decision on whether to launch a presidential campaign.
The announcement comes as Democrats begin looking toward 2028 following their strong showing in last week’s midterm elections. Newsom described the results as a historic repudiation of President Donald Trump and said Democrats now have an obligation to offer voters a positive alternative.
“Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it ended last week in the U.S.,” Newsom told Anadolu.
The governor has increasingly used international appearances to establish himself as a national Democratic voice, particularly on climate policy, while criticizing Trump’s retreat from international climate agreements.
At COP31, Newsom accused the Trump administration of surrendering American economic and technological leadership to China by abandoning the fight against climate change.
“China is cleaning our clock,” Newsom said, arguing that the competition extends beyond environmental policy to manufacturing, supply chains, and investment.
The Trump administration did not send a federal delegation to the conference, prompting Newsom and other Democratic governors and local leaders to present themselves as representatives of American climate leadership.
GAVIN NEWSOM TURNS HIS EYE TOWARD TURKEY CLIMATE SUMMIT, SLAMMING TRUMP FOR NOT ATTENDING
Newsom was joined at the summit by outgoing Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, among other international leaders. He and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, also visited a forestry training center to discuss wildfire prevention, firefighting technology, and reforestation.
The governor’s January timeline could put him among the first major Democrats to resolve their presidential ambitions as the field begins taking shape. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is also considered a potential contender. Newsom previously said he would not run if Harris enters the race, though he has since softened his stance.