California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking an unusual gamble in the run-up to the 2028 Democratic primary: defending Joe Biden's legacy while most other potential candidates are distancing themselves from the former president. According to Axios, Newsom has spent the last eighteen months publicly defending Biden and his family, citing his legislative achievements and character. The bet is strategic: while Biden remains broadly unpopular, he's still viewed favorably by Black and Latino voters—key constituencies in a Democratic primary. A CNN poll found fifty-three percent of Black Americans and forty percent of Latino voters view Biden positively, compared to just twenty-three percent of white Americans. Other potential 2028 candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris, have criticized Biden's tenure and his decision to run again. Harris notably called his reelection bid at age eighty-one 'reckless' in her book. Biden and his team view Newsom more favorably than other contenders. The risk for Newsom: he was among Biden's fiercest defenders of his fitness for office, even after the disastrous June twenty twenty-four debate. If primary voters move past Biden, Newsom's loyalty could become a liability.

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