Gavin Newsom was sworn in as California's governor on Jan. 7, 2019. Four years later, voters backed him for another term that will end at the beginning of 2027. Some believe that a presidential run lies in store for him once he leaves office. Though it's early days, prediction market company Polymarket had Newsom leading the way in the race to become the Democratic presidential nominee for 2028 as of this writing (archived).
Three years ago, during former U.S. President Joe Biden's presidency, he called such speculation "fodder." However, in June 2025, he reportedly told the Wall Street Journal that although he is "not thinking about running" for president, it was "a path that [he] could see unfold." What transpires next remains to be seen, but this is one of many rumors that have involved the California governor since he assumed office.
Snopes has investigated numerous such claims regarding Newsom, some dating back as far as the COVID-19 pandemic. Now he's considered a front-runner for the Democratic ticket, his name will likely feature in more of our fact checks. But below is a sample of what we've looked into about him so far.
