SAN FRANCISCO - AUGUST 25: San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom talks with reporters before test driving a plug-in version of the popular Toyota Prius that is one of four on loan to the city for evaluation August 25, 2010 in San Francisco, California. With sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars expected to increase in the coming years, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has set aside $5 million to increase the number of electric car charging stations to 5,000 around the Bay Area. There are currently 120 stations in the area. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom will travel to South Carolina this week for a two-day swing through rural counties and Democratic strongholds, in a visit widely viewed as a strategic step toward a possible 2028 presidential bid. The trip, which includes stops at churches, coffee shops, and senior centers, is framed by the South Carolina Democratic Party as a community engagement effort—but few in Washington or Sacramento doubt the broader implications.
South Carolina, long pivotal in Democratic primary politics, offers a crucial proving ground for national candidates. In 2024, under changes championed by President Joe Biden, the state became the party’s first sanctioned primary—a recognition of its importance to the Democratic coalition, particularly its Black voters. But it is also a state that voted decisively for Donald Trump in the general election. Newsom’s visit to deep-red counties like Pickens, where Trump won 76% of the vote, underscores his willingness to campaign in hostile territory—while also setting the stage for a test of his crossover appeal.
“Governor Newsom leads the largest economy in America and the fourth largest in the world,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said in a statement. “He’s coming to meet folks in towns that have been hollowed out by decades of Republican control.” Newsom’s team has characterized the trip as an effort to build partnerships and discuss federal support in the aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires.
It’s not Newsom’s first foray into national politics. In recent years, he has repeatedly inserted himself into high-profile fights beyond California, debating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Fox News, airing ads in conservative states, and launching a podcast aimed at younger, often politically disengaged male voters. Since Trump’s return to the White House, Newsom has further embraced a combative role, casting himself as a counterweight to what he has called the administration’s “authoritarian” turn.
In June, California filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. That same month, Newsom publicly challenged immigration raids, saying federal officials should arrest him instead of targeting low-level offenders. The response from Republican leadership was swift and vitriolic—House Speaker Mike Johnson went so far as to say Newsom “ought to be tarred and feathered.”
Yet the governor has not backed down. He continues to court national attention while maintaining a visible presence in California, where wildfires, water crises, and climate policy remain dominant issues. His trip to South Carolina may not be officially labeled a campaign stop, but the message is clear: Newsom is laying the groundwork for a national role, one handshake at a time.
