Pelosi Appears To Have Picked Their Candidate For President In 2028

The former House speaker is reportedly boosting California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a 2028 White House contender, a move seen as a slight to Kamala Harris.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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According to reports, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been publicly and privately vouching for California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, deploying her political capital and donor network to boost him. This is seen as a calculated slight to Kamala Harris, who currently leads the 2028 field in national polling but appears to have lost Pelosi's confidence after the 2024 election debacle.

Why it matters

Pelosi's endorsement carries significant weight with the Democratic donor class and party elites who often decide primaries long before voters cast ballots. By elevating Newsom now, she's signaling to those constituencies where the smart money should flow, which could have major implications for the 2028 race.

The details

According to reports, Pelosi has spent months publicly and privately vouching for Newsom, calling him a strong leader with vision, values, and the ability to get things done. She's even tried to help Newsom shed the perception of coming from privilege. Meanwhile, Pelosi's support for Harris, the 2024 nominee, reportedly frustrated the Obamas, who wanted a more open process. Harris lost badly to Trump in 2024, leaving many major donors disillusioned with her.

  • Pelosi has been boosting Newsom as a potential 2028 candidate for months.
  • Pelosi endorsed Harris quickly after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, reportedly frustrating the Obamas.

The players

Nancy Pelosi

The 85-year-old former House speaker who is reportedly deploying her legendary donor network and political capital to boost California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a 2028 White House contender.

Gavin Newsom

The current governor of California who Pelosi is reportedly boosting as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

Kamala Harris

The current frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination who appears to have lost Pelosi's confidence after the 2024 election debacle.

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What they’re saying

“From the standpoint of leadership, vision, and values, knowledge of the issues, strategic thinking about how to get things done, he's masterful.”

— Nancy Pelosi, Former House Speaker (The New Yorker)

“I've seen him grow politically, I've also seen him have this beautiful family, and for all of us who love him, seeing him evolve has been wonderful to behold.”

— Nancy Pelosi, Former House Speaker (Vogue)

“Everybody thinks of Gavin and a silver spoon. But that isn't right. He was a very hard worker in everything that he did, whether it was personally, professionally, and then civically.”

— Nancy Pelosi, Former House Speaker (The Atlantic)

The takeaway

Pelosi's public backing of Newsom as a potential 2028 presidential candidate is a significant vote of confidence that could have major implications for the race, given her influence within the Democratic Party. However, it also represents a clear snub of Kamala Harris, the current frontrunner, which could further complicate the 2028 primary landscape.