Newsom dodges endorsement but muddles overall message

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is once again trying to thread a political needle, only this time, he may be tying himself in knots.

Asked directly this week whether he would back a candidate in the state’s gubernatorial race, the outgoing governor, who is widely expected to run for president in 2028, sidestepped with a carefully worded but muddled response: “I’m supporting a Democrat in the runoff and look forward to the voters making that decision very shortly … There are a lot of outstanding candidates with extraordinary records. I could name seven of them, although I think there were nine.”