Democratic consultants weigh in on Newsom’s national political future

President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from his 2024 re-election campaign complicates California Governor Gavin Newsom’s national ambitions. 

He was among those considered as a potential Democratic candidate should Biden drop out. But speculation about the Governor’s potential run for president halted when he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday. 

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“I think Gavin Newsom woke up every morning for the last two years and tried to figure out how he could become president, and I think the door was slammed shut in his face,” said Democratic consultant Steven Maviglio.

Newsom, who is 56 years old, has time for a presidential run in future elections, according to Democratic strategist Dan Weitzman.

“He’s a young man, so he’s got nothing but time if he has those presidential ambitions — whether it be in eight years or whenever,” he added.

But the timing could make a presidential run more difficult. Newsom’s term is up in two years, which could present challenges for having a natural platform to run and access to donors. The U.S. Twelfth Amendment — which outlines the process by which the country selects a president and vice president — also complicates presidential and vice presidential candidates from the same state, potentially dashing any vice presidential hopes for Newsom.

Maviglio says Newsom’s national aspirations could depend on his California legacy.

“There are some nagging issues, the budget deficit, homelessness, that will haunt him,” said Maviglio. “So if he was wise I think he’d turn his attention back to the state and try to do what he could here to make things better.”

Newsom’s national profile has raised steadily over his time as Governor. He was a vocal opponent of abortion bans in the months following the Dobbs decision and debated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Fox News last year.

Consultants expect Newsom will be a key messenger for the Democratic Party ahead of November by supporting Harris on the campaign trail in swing states. Maviglio says his fervent support could even lead to a cabinet position should a Democrat be elected.

“Democrats remember who stood by the president, and who walked away or tried to challenge him,” Maviglio added. “Gavin Newsom was not one of those people, and I think that will bode him well for the future.”