President Trump’s aggressive policies — from redistricting pressure to immigration enforcement and proposed spending cuts — have given several Democratic governors a national platform. Governors Gavin Newsom, J.B. Pritzker and Wes Moore have used legislation, high-profile speeches and campaigning in swing and early-primary states to raise their profiles as potential 2028 contenders. Their activism has energized Democratic voters and strategists but also drawn sharp attacks from Trump and the RNC.
How Trump’s Agenda Has Boosted Democratic Governors Into the 2028 Spotlight
FILE PHOTO: California Governor Gavin Newsom gestures as he attends a press conference, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), in Belem, Brazil, November 11, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) — President Donald Trump’s aggressive policy agenda — from redistricting pressure and immigration enforcement to proposed federal spending cuts — is doing more than shape federal policy. It is elevating several Democratic governors onto a national stage and positioning them as potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
Governors Raising Their Profiles
Gavin Newsom (California) has pushed back on Trump’s redistricting effort by championing a California ballot measure that could help Democrats gain congressional seats in next year’s midterms. Newsom traveled to Houston to address Democrats, mocked Trump repeatedly on social media and has spoken in early primary states and at global forums — moves that signal he is testing a national political footing as he weighs a possible 2028 run.
J.B. Pritzker (Illinois) has framed himself as a defender of immigrant communities amid federal enforcement actions. He signed legislation that bars federal arrests at schools and courthouses and has headlined events in early-primary states such as New Hampshire and in swing states, urging Democrats to be more assertive against Trump.
Wes Moore (Maryland) has criticized proposed cuts to the federal workforce and SNAP benefits, restored full SNAP aid in Maryland during a recent federal shutdown, and launched an effort to redraw his state’s congressional map in direct response to Trump. Moore has also campaigned for Democrats in swing states and addressed national fora such as the NAACP.
FILE PHOTO: Maryland Governor Wes Moore gestures on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 21, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo
Broader Political Reaction
Democratic activists and strategists have welcomed the governors’ activism as a way to energize the base after the party’s decisive 2024 loss and the GOP takeover of Congress. "If you ask Democrats in polling what they want most from their elected officials, it is to put a check on Trump," said Democratic pollster Cornell Belcher, drawing a parallel to how opposition to a major policy helped elevate Barack Obama in the past.
Trump has intensified personal attacks on the governors — deriding Newsom as “Newscum,” calling Pritzker “crazy” and insulting Moore over crime — while the Republican National Committee accused the governors of being out of touch with mainstream voters.
Other Potential Contenders
Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro and Kentucky’s Andy Beshear are also mentioned as possible 2028 contenders, though they have not drawn the same sustained national attacks — and therefore the same platform — as Newsom, Pritzker and Moore.
Name Recognition And The Road Ahead
Polling shows a gap in name recognition: a Reuters/Ipsos poll last month found 64% of Democrats held a favorable view of Newsom, while a majority were unfamiliar with Pritzker and Moore, indicating both have work to do to build national brands. The governors have not all responded to requests for comment.
Bottom line: Trump’s actions have created political openings that these governors are using to sharpen contrasts with the White House, expand their national networks and appeal to Democrats who prioritize checking the president — setting the stage for a potentially crowded and contentious 2028 Democratic field.
