California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) may be running for president in 2024, and some experts are claiming the writing is already on the wall. Can he win? The responses are divided, but what everyone seems to be on the same page about is his likelihood of throwing his hat in the ring.

Newsom brings plenty of charm to the table. The Guardian called him “one of the strongest candidates.” Yet nearly 700,000 people have fled California since 2020, many of them citing its leftist policies as the reason for their exodus. Would they vote for him to become president?

The answer is no. But Americans are wondering whether he’ll become the DNC pick as a means of combating Trump’s surge in popularity.

Justin Clark served as Trump’s deputy campaign manager in 2020 and told the “Yes Labels” podcast this week, “Donald Trump is in the best polling position he’s ever been in his political career. And it’s kind of not close.” He’s not wrong. 

Trump is continuing to gain traction, with the latest polls showing he’s leading the polls over Biden in five critical swing states — Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Projections that Newsom could overtake some of his supporters may not be wrong either. Recall the 2022 election in which Newsom barely had to campaign to score his second term. The media was already questioning whether the White House would be his next stop then.

California's Gavin Newsom Wins 2nd Governor Term, Is White House Run Next? https://t.co/RxndgRSAm3

— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) November 9, 2022

While conservatives don’t want to see Newsom and his anti-Second Amendment agenda in the White House, many Democrats might jump to support him against Trump. That being said, another contender is continuing to rise to the occasion and steal blue votes — Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

With Kennedy already polling at 22%, he could be a spoiler for Newsom as much as he appears to be for Biden. A Stack Data Projection is touting Newsom could actually fare worse than Biden in key states against Trump.

Stack Data poll of PA:

Trump 49 (+2)
Biden 47

Trump 50 (+4)
Newsom 46

Trump's margin over Newsom likely grows in next year.

Upshot: Putting Newsom on the ticket to replace Joe helps GOP.

Lawfare might help Newsom close the gap, but as Pennsylvanians learned of Newsom's…

— Paul Villarreal (AKA Vince Manfeld) (@AureliusStoic1) November 13, 2023

At age 56, Newsom is a breath of fresh air for Democrats who feel Biden is aging out of the presidency as he approaches his 82nd birthday next week. But not every Democrat wants to see him take the mantle. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) called Newsom out, claiming he didn’t have the guts to announce what he’s really up to.

Fetterman accuses Newsom of not having the ‘guts to announce’ he’s running for president https://t.co/ErFQ9gv1af pic.twitter.com/B9LzYFVrFS

— New York Post (@nypost) November 8, 2023

Newsom’s recent trip to confer with Chinese President Xi Jinping had people suspecting a presidential run, as did his donation to a Democrat mayoral candidate in South Carolina.

Is Newsom running for president? Perhaps. The question now is: Will there be a Trump-Newsom debate?