According to Race To The White House, an aggregate polling tracker, Newsom currently leads the polls for the 2028 Democratic primary race in two states—his home state of California (23.2 percent) and Ohio (20 percent). He is leading upward of 5 percent ahead of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in both.

A 2028 presidential poll found Gavin Newsom is the top choice of 25% of California's Democratic voters, with Kamala Harris at 19%, & Tim Walz at 4%.