Hollywood is backing the CA Governor for 2028: “They all want to make sure they are on the Newsom train if it takes off”
Gavin Newsom’s star has been on the rise since he took off the gloves, taking on President Trump directly, garnering him support among Democratic donors.
There is still nearly a year to go until the Midterm Elections, which typically mark the start of the “invisible primary” for potential presidential candidates to build up steam before the official nominating process begins. However, Democratic presidential hopefuls are already laying the groundwork to run in 2028.
Most prominently is California Governor Gavin Newsom. He’s been in the national spotlight since summer with his vigorous challenges to Trump administration policies and his online parody of the president in which he hasn’t pulled his punches.
Deep-pocketed Democratic donors in Hollywood have been taking notice with one telling Deadline: “He’s a fighter, that’s what we need!”
All aboard: Hollywood top donors are jumping on the Newsom 2028 train
Many Democrats were downhearted after the stinging loss of Kamala Harris in 2024 despite her building up a sizeable war chest. However, the Trump administration 2.0’s continuous overreach and ham-fisted implementation of its “MAGA” policies has helped Democrats brush off that defeat, energizing resistance to fight back.
“It was a slow build early on as we recovered from the loss in November, but there has been momentum building,” James Costos, former Barack Obama-era ambassador to Spain and head of HBO said. The long-time Democratic donor added that now there is a “very strong and very encouraging” enthusiasm among LA donors and “big checks are being written.”
One of the beneficiaries has been Newsom. Although there are nearly three years to go until the 2028 presidential elections and there isn’t a consensus on who would be the best candidate to be the Democratic party standard bearer, the California governor is seen as a prime contender.
“If you talk to anyone who really matters, they all want to make sure they are on the Newsom train if it takes off,” a big donor producer told Deadline.
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