Gavin Newsom Predicts DSA Will Dominate 2028 Democratic Primary
Governor Gavin Newsom stated the Democratic Socialists of America will become a mainstream movement and dominant force within the Democratic Party for the 2028 presidential election.
California Governor Gavin Newsom asserted that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) will become a mainstream movement and a dominant force within the Democratic Party heading into the 2028 presidential election. Speaking to an undercover journalist in New Hampshire while campaigning for Stefany Shaheen, Newsom argued that the current system is broken and must be completely reimagined rather than managed through incremental change.
Newsom has previously told PBS Newshour that the modern Democratic Party is already mostly aligned with DSA principles, specifically regarding the removal of money from politics. These comments come as Newsom trails former Vice President Kamala Harris in New York Times/Siena polling for potential 2028 contenders, with Harris at 12 percent and Newsom at 9 percent. While Harris has characterized the party as a big tent where no one should be kicked out, DSA activists are actively promoting U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the presidency via a petition for Medicare for All and a Green New Deal.
Critics view Newsom's rhetoric as a strategic effort to court the party's left wing to secure the nomination. GOP strategist Jennifer Kelly argued that Newsom is calculating his language to ensure he is not ignored by the party's progressive wing, suggesting he understands that failing to court that segment would jeopardize his presidential ambitions.
