Newsom Launches 'Take It Back Tour' in Deep South Amid 2028 Presidential Speculation

Key points

• Newsom will visit Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina from Sept. 2 to Sept. 5, focusing on counties that supported Donald Trump in 2024.
• The tour includes town halls, meetings with students at historically Black colleges like Allen University, and visits to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery.
• Newsom links recent Supreme Court decisions weakening the Voting Rights Act and a White House order on mail-in ballots to a broader 'assault' on civil rights.
• This is Newsom's seventh southern trip in three years; he has spent nearly 20% of his second term outside California, matching other 2028 contenders like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
• The trip occurs just after California's legislative session ends, with Newsom's term expiring in four months, fueling speculation about a presidential bid.

Background

South Carolina was recently designated as the first state in the 2028 Democratic primary calendar by the DNC, a move aimed at boosting Black voter influence. Newsom has previously visited the state in 2024 and 2025, leveraging its status as a 'gateway to the South' to build support. Recent polling shows Black voters still prefer former Vice President Kamala Harris over Newsom, though he leads other rivals like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pete Buttigieg.

How outlets are covering it

Politico emphasizes the strategic aspect of Newsom's trip, noting his focus on Trump-won counties and down-ballot races as a way to counter Republican policies. The Sacramento Bee highlights the civil rights narrative, quoting Newsom's comparison of current voting restrictions to the pre-1960s era and his meeting with civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson. KCRA frames the tour as part of a broader 'Take It Back Tour' aimed at garnering support ahead of midterm elections, noting that past visits focused on fundraising for other candidates. All sources agree on the itinerary but differ in emphasis: Politico focuses on electoral strategy, the Sacramento Bee on civil rights, and KCRA on midterm impact.

Why it matters

The tour signals Newsom's intent to position himself as a national leader ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run, while also testing the Democratic Party's ability to mobilize in red states. The focus on voting rights and civil rights could shape the narrative of the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential campaign, particularly in swing states like South Carolina and North Carolina.

What to watch

Newsom will continue his tour through Sept. 5, with further fundraising appeals for Democratic candidates in states like New Hampshire. His term as governor ends in four months, and his next moves will likely clarify whether he launches a formal presidential campaign. The impact of his southern strategy will be measured in the 2026 midterm elections and his standing in 2028 primary polls.