Overview
- Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom hosted Hunter Biden on his podcast and publicly praised Joe Biden, signaling a close personal and political alignment that aides see as deliberate for a possible 2028 bid.
- Newsom has spent the last 18 months repeatedly defending Biden’s record and character while other Democrats have distanced themselves from the former president.
- Axios reported that Biden and his team view Newsom more warmly than many other potential 2028 contenders, a dynamic that could make a Biden endorsement influential in a contested primary.
- Political strategists warn that embracing Biden could help Newsom win over Black and Latino primary voters who remain relatively favorable to Biden but could transfer Biden-era policy and controversy into a general-election liability.
- Coverage differs by outlet with Axios focusing on the primary calculus and New York Post highlighting risks and a federal probe tied to Newsom’s financial network, while the broader context traces back to Biden’s June 2024 debate struggles and his July 2024 campaign exit.