Newsom Leads Harris For President Among California Democrats, Poll Finds

SACRAMENTO — Californians person ne'er been forced to take betwixt Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, 2 homegrown governmental darlings, during immoderate election.

But if nan state’s registered Democrats picked now, Newsom would trounce Harris arsenic their party’s adjacent nominee for president and person nan separator complete different Democratic contenders, according to a canvass released Friday by nan UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times.

Twenty-eight percent of nan California Democrats who were surveyed selected nan politician arsenic their apical prime successful nan 2028 statesmanlike election. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) followed pinch 14% and erstwhile U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg received 11%. Harris came successful fourth, pinch only 9% of voters successful her ain authorities naming her arsenic their preferred Democratic nominee.

“It’s rather a affirmative consequence for Newsom,” said Mark DiCamillo, head of nan Berkeley IGS Poll. “He’s separated himself from nan remainder of nan pack, and particularly erstwhile you comparison him to nan different awesome Californian successful nan considerations, he’s 3 times arsenic overmuch arsenic Kamala. That’s rather impressive.”

The governmental careers of nan politician and erstwhile vice president person orbited each different but ne'er crossed since Newsom was sworn successful arsenic San Francisco’s politician and Harris arsenic nan city’s territory lawyer connected nan aforesaid time successful 2004. Now nan 2 Bay Area natives are both flirting pinch nan 2028 statesmanlike contest arsenic they recreation nan state promoting their life stories connected respective book tours.

It’s early days and neither leader has said they will aliases won’t motorboat charismatic campaigns for nan Oval Office. The anticipation remains that Californians mightiness yet spot a matchup that nan 2 Democrats person agelong avoided.

Newsom group his sights connected nan governor’s agency successful 2010 earlier dropping retired and moving for lieutenant governor, a mostly powerless station successful which he served successful nan protector of Gov. Jerry Brown for 8 years. Harris won election that twelvemonth arsenic California lawyer general.

Harris’ and Newsom’s paths diverged again erstwhile she chose to run for U.S. Senate successful a 2016 title to switch erstwhile Sen. Barbara Boxer and he announced his candidacy for politician successful nan 2018 election.

When Harris jumped into nan 2020 and 2024 races for nan White House, Newsom said he wouldn’t tally against her. He’s discredited nan thought that nan 2 politicians person immoderate benignant of a related rivalry and noted that their trajectories ran adjacent and ne'er collided.

Newsom was asked again past period whether he would vie against Harris successful a statesmanlike contest. The politician said he hasn’t “gotten successful nan measurement of her ambition ever,” and he doesn’t ideate that he would successful nan future. His reply changed erstwhile he was pressed to respond specifically to nan imaginable for 2028.

“That’s fate. I don’t, I don’t know,” Newsom said to CNN’s Dana Bash, throwing up his hands. “You know, you tin only power what you tin control.”

Newsom and Harris had greater support from Black and Latino voters than achromatic and Asian American Democrats successful nan caller poll. She performed good among Democrats younger than 30 compared pinch different property groups, while Newsom fared amended pinch older Democrats. More women selected Newsom arsenic their first aliases 2nd prime than they did Harris.

Neither California heavyweight performed peculiarly awesome among Democratic voters successful nan Bay Area, which DiCamillo called a funny uncovering for 2 politicians from nan region. Support was higher for Harris and Newsom successful almost each different region of nan state.

DiCamillo believes nan beingness of Ocasio-Cortez connected nan database astir apt pulled immoderate support from Harris. California voters successful different caller polls were besides sour connected a 3rd statesmanlike tally by Harris.

An Institute of Governmental Studies canvass successful August gauged liking successful nan imaginable candidacy of Newsom and Harris. About 45% of nan state’s registered voters said they were enthusiastic astir Newsom running, compared pinch 36% for Harris. Almost two-third of voters successful that survey, and half of Democrats, said Harris should not tally for president again.

Although Newsom intelligibly hit nan section of candidates successful nan astir caller poll, DiCamillo said receiving support from a small much than a 4th of those surveyed successful his ain backyard isn’t precisely wonderful. The governor’s support standing is besides down.

The canvass recovered that 48% of California registered voters opportunity they o.k. of nan occupation Newsom is doing, pinch nan aforesaid stock disapproving of his performance. That marks a driblet from 51% support nan past clip DiCamillo asked successful August. Disapproval besides climbed, by 5 percent points.

Voters held affirmative opinions astir Newsom’s information successful world conferences, which was described successful nan canvass arsenic nan politician “offering an replacement to nan policies being promoted by President Trump connected issues for illustration ambiance alteration and nan economy.” The canvass recovered 59% of statewide registered voters o.k. and 37% disapprove.

Cristina G. Mora, co-director of nan poll, said nan results propose Newsom’s much fierce stance pinch Trump seems to resonate successful his ain state.

“Though Californians whitethorn clasp mixed views connected his gubernatorial tenure, they overwhelmingly spot him arsenic nan strongest antagonistic to Trump and MAGA candidates,” Mora said. “Harris’s earlier statesmanlike defeat, compounded by persistent elector biases against women and candidates of color, whitethorn besides beryllium shaping these early numbers.”

The Berkeley IGS/Times canvass surveyed 5,019 California registered voters online successful English and Spanish from March 9 to 14. The results are estimated to person a separator of correction of 2.5 percent points successful either guidance successful nan wide sample, and larger numbers for subgroups.