After months of slipping support and political backlash, California Governor Gavin Newsom is finally seeing some good news in the latest 2028 presidential polls. A new Morning Consult survey shows Newsom jumping back into second place, thanks in large part to his vocal opposition to Donald Trump’s response to recent protests in Los Angeles.
For the first time since January 2024, Newsom hit 11% in a national Democratic primary poll, up from just 5% a few weeks ago. The only candidate ahead of him is fellow Californian Kamala Harris, who still leads with 34%. Behind Newsom are Pete Buttigieg and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tied at 7%. Another 16% of voters are still undecided.
“As Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) garners more coverage following the high-profile anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, our latest hypothetical 2028 primary poll suggests some potential Democratic primary voters are giving him a new look — though former Vice President Kamala Harris maintains the upper hand should she decide to run,” said Eli Yokley, an analyst at Morning Consult, in a statement released Wednesday.
This latest poll, conducted from June 13 to 15, surveyed registered Democrats and left-leaning independents nationwide. According to the data, Harris’s support dipped slightly from 36% to 34%, and Buttigieg also dropped from 10% to 7%. Meanwhile, AOC gained a couple of points, moving up from 5% to 7%.
“Roughly half of Democrats (52%) view him favorably while 14% view him unfavorably, nearly identical to our findings shortly after the November elections,” Yokley added. “While Newsom’s polling bump may prove to be a flash in the pan, it does illustrate the power of earned media and the appetite for a fighter among Democratic voters.”
To say Newsom needed this boost would be an understatement. Earlier this year, his popularity plummeted following controversies over wildfire response, his stance on transgender athlete participation, and the reversal of some progressive state projects. Back in January, he was polling in second place behind Harris. But by last month, he had slipped to a distant fifth with just 5% support.
Then came the L.A. anti-ICE protests. As tensions flared, Newsom blasted Trump’s actions, calling out the deployment of National Guard troops without his consent. He even took the administration to court—something that definitely turned heads across the country.
“If Gavin Newsom wanted to take on Donald Trump and loves the attention, he has 100 percent gotten it,” CNN’s Harry Enten said. “Take a look here. Google searches of Gavin Newsom with Donald Trump, get this, up 9,700 percent. More folks are googling Gavin Newsom’s name with Donald Trump than ever before.”
So, will this sudden surge last? That’s the million-dollar question. While it’s clear that his fight with Trump has reignited interest in his campaign, Newsom still has a steep climb ahead if he wants to seriously challenge Harris. Still, this rebound shows he’s not out of the game yet—and his national profile is rising again.
More polling is expected in the coming weeks, which should reveal whether this was just a momentary boost or the beginning of a real comeback.