sacramento — California Gov. Gavin Newsom will travel to New Hampshire this weekend to campaign for Democratic candidates in the November election, a continuation of his scouting tour of swing states in preparation for a possible 2028 presidential run.
Before that, he also travels to other early primary voting states, including South Carolina in September and Nevada in July, which could be crucial to his campaign if he officially enters the race.
“I think if your travel schedule coincided with the Democratic primary schedule, you might run for president,” said Thad Kusel, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego.
Cooser said it was too early for Newsom or any other potential presidential contender to announce his candidacy, but the governor’s move was typical of a politician who is “all in.”
“This is the clearest signal to voters, donors and the chattering class that you are willing to put in the hard work, the years of on-the-ground campaigning, to do well in these primaries or caucuses,” he said.
Newsom is not alone.
A group of potential 2028 candidates, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, are deploying similar shadow campaign tactics and raising money for swing state Democrats in the midterm elections.
Prior to the governor’s visit to New Hampshire, he had raised $500,000 for the New Hampshire Democratic Party this election cycle. His fundraising supports a new field office in Nashua, where he will participate in a Saturday morning canvass with gubernatorial candidate Cinde Warmington and Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running against the Republican for a U.S. Senate seat.
Newsom, Pappas and Warmington will appear together at a second campaign event in Exeter at 1 p.m., before Newsom travels to Manchester in the evening to meet with House candidate Stephanie Shaheen.
After returning from New Hampshire, Newsom plans to campaign across California to support Democrats in newly drawn congressional seats.
Harris’ campaign said she also plans to campaign for Pappas in New Hampshire on October 24. Harris is visiting Nevada, Mississippi, Wisconsin and Georgia in the final days of the midterm election cycle as she considers a third bid for the White House.
Kooser said Harris’ schedule shows she wants to keep her options open.
“These candidates are reaching a direct audience of voters, supporters and key leaders in those states, and they are also trying to show a national audience that they are passionate at heart and are willing to put in the work,” he said.
While Newsom’s actions mirror those of presidential candidates, his comments fueled speculation about whether he will ultimately run.
Newsom recently said he would be out if Harris took office.
The governor has made similar statements in the past, saying it would be “mutually assured destruction” and that there would be too much crossover between California’s two political heavyweights who would compete for the same donors and supporters while offering similar policy profiles.
The governor also said the decision rests with his family and that his four children need to be “involved.”