Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) has placed California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) at the forefront of potential Democratic presidential hopefuls for 2028, praising his strategic positioning and recent political maneuvers.
In an interview with NewsNation on Monday, de Blasio stated that Newsom “has played his cards the best for 2028,” pointing to the governor’s role in California’s redistricting process and his response to Trump-era immigration enforcement. The former mayor highlighted these actions as key to Newsom’s rising stock within the party.
De Blasio, who mounted his own short-lived presidential campaign in 2020, acknowledged that Newsom faces hurdles, particularly the challenge of connecting with voters outside major coastal urban centers. “I think it is a little harder for a lot of people in the country to relate to the big coastal cities,” de Blasio said. However, he noted Newsom’s efforts to bridge that gap: “He can transcend that, and he has been doing a lot of work, going out around the country... He’s talked to a lot of folks who don’t agree with him, and he’s shown an openness.”
The former mayor specifically credited Newsom’s involvement in California’s congressional redistricting, which voters approved last fall in a special election designed to counter Republican redistricting pushes in states like Texas. These new lines could deliver Democrats an additional five House seats in November, a tangible victory that de Blasio argued is boosting Newsom’s appeal. “I think why he’s making progress in the party is because he really fought back on redistricting,” de Blasio said. This success comes amid broader debates over electoral fairness, as highlighted in coverage of California's jungle primary system.
Beyond Newsom, de Blasio identified Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as the party’s current moral compass. “If you’re asking who’s sort of the conscience or the message-creator of the Democratic Party is probably more Bernie Sanders than anyone else right now,” de Blasio said, calling Sanders “the most popular politician in America.” Sanders, now 83, has not indicated interest in a 2028 run, telling podcaster Joe Rogan last fall, “I am 83 years of age.”
The 2028 Democratic field is already taking shape, with potential candidates including Vice President Kamala Harris, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are widely seen as potential successors to President Trump. Trump has declined to choose between them, suggesting they could form a strong joint ticket.
Vance, for his part, has dismissed speculation of a rivalry with Rubio. During a press conference last Wednesday, he emphasized their close relationship and focus on current duties. “He’s become a very, very dear friend, but I think both of us are very much focused on accomplishing the American people’s business right now,” Vance said. He added, “If I was the American people, there are few things that I would hate more than a person who’s barely been in office a year-and-a-half who’s angling for a job two-and-a-half years down the road.”
De Blasio’s assessment underscores the early jockeying for 2028, with Newsom’s redistricting victory and national outreach positioning him as a formidable contender, though questions about his broader appeal persist. For now, the focus remains on the upcoming midterms and the ongoing affordability crisis in California, which could shape the political landscape ahead.
