Kamala Harris for president in '28? How about Gavin Newsom? Who are the early front-runners?

Kamala Harris for president again? How about Gavin Newsom?

Sure, it’s early, but at the moment two Californians, Vice President Harris and Gov. Newsom, lead the list of possible 2028 Democratic contenders in a new Emerson College poll.

Harris, who just lost this year’s presidential election to Donald Trump, was the choice of 37% of registered voters. Newsom was second at 7%. The poll was conducted Nov. 20 to 22.

Others in the potential field: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg with 4%; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 3%; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 3%; former first lady Michelle Obama, 2%; and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., 2%. Thirty-five percent of those surveyed were undecided.

Newsom, who is term-limited and can’t run for governor in 2026, has been taking several steps that presidential contenders often take.

He campaigned around the country this year for Harris and President Joe Biden. He’s set up a fundraising mechanism typical of aspiring presidential candidates, though he has not said he’s interested in the job. And he’s due to come out with a memoir this spring.

Harris’ future is uncertain. The recent history of Democrats is that they don’t run losing presidential candidates twice. The last time that happened was Adlai Stevenson, who lost to President Dwight Eisenhower in both 1952 and 1956.

Harris is still considering her options. The Bee reported last week that some supporters are urging her to run for governor of California in 2026.

Harris has won five statewide races — in 2010 and 2014 for attorney general, in 2016 for U.S. senator and as vice president on Biden’s ticket in 2020 and 2024. She trounced Trump, 58% to 38%, in this year’s election.

Newsom and Harris have been on parallel political tracks for years. They’re roughly the same age — Harris is 60, Newsom is 57. They’ve won statewide by big margins, they both came through the political ranks in San Francisco and both have been mentioned for years as possible White House contenders.

Among Republicans in the Emerson poll, Vice President-elect JD Vance topped the list of potential nominees at 37%. No one else came close, though 51% were undecided. Constitutionally, Trump cannot seek another term.

Presidential polls taken this soon in the cycle tend to rely largely on name recognition and are predictive of what’s to come in a race with no incumbent.

In March 2013, for instance, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., topped the list of possible 2016 Republican candidates in a nationwide Quinnipiac University poll.

He would up losing to Trump, and is now the president-elect’s nominee to become secretary of state. In that 2013 poll, Trump was not even mentioned.

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