Gavin Newsom faces 'Hillary Clinton problem,' says MS NOW host about California governor's 2028 ambitions

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a "Hillary Clinton problem," MS NOW host Chris Hayes said in an interview published Thursday, as he discussed potential 2028 candidates with The New York Times' Ross Douthat.

"I think Newsom has the Hillary Clinton problem, which is that Hillary Clinton was perceived outside of the Democratic Party and Democratic coalition as the ultimate lib, the libiest lib who ever lived, and was never actually like that much of a lib," Hayes told Douthat during his "Interesting Times" podcast. "It was like — and also had a record that was fairly centrist, particularly as a U.S. senator."

"And that’s like the worst uncanny valley for a Democratic politician to be in, where the base doesn’t trust you because you don’t have a kind of organic relationship with the left parts of the party. And then the swing voter just thinks like, that’s a lib," he added.

Newsom is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate for Democrats. However, he has not officially declared his intention to run.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom takes part in the 62nd Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14, 2026. Hillary Clinton speaks to members of the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Chappaqua, New York, on Feb. 26, 2026. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Marijan Murat/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)

Hayes said Democrats needed someone who had an authentic relationship with the party's left-wing base, but also "communicates broadly" and is viewed as nonpartisan.

"I just think right now — and this could change — Newsom has the opposite set of factors. He has made very clear attempts to show that he’s bipartisan, centrist, independent," he said.

Hayes and Douthat suggested he made moves toward the center and the right through "substantive things he's done," citing the billionaire tax and trans policy.

"But I haven’t seen evidence that that comes through. I just think there’s a reputational thing that’s very problematic. Also, the governor of California is a tough place to get the next Democratic nominee from," he added.

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MS NOW anchor Chris Hayes on the set of "All In" on Jan. 20, 2025. (Screenshot/MS NOW)

Douthat argued that Newsom has not run a race in which he needed to win over many centrist or center-right voters. However, he said one of Newsom's strengths was that he can get attention.

Hayes agreed and noted how President Donald Trump has done an effective job at it throughout his political career.

"The ideal situation you want, I think, if you’re designing this in a lab, is someone that has both a proven ability to speak to swing voters, the voters you need, and is also really good at attention," Hayes said. "And the nightmare scenario in a Democratic primary is someone who’s bad at the former and good at the latter."

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