California made Gavin Newsom famous. Will it drag down his 2028 presidential ambitions?

Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, has been making waves as an early front-runner in the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential primary. However, his home state of California, a symbol of modern-day liberalism, may prove to be a liability as he seeks to appeal to the whole country. South Carolina voters acknowledged this past week that people from the South are not crazy about California, making it difficult for Newsom to win over moderate and independent voters.

Newsom's team acknowledges the existence of "California derangement syndrome," a term referring to the difficulty of Californians being perceived as too liberal by the rest of the nation. Despite this, Newsom is not hiding his interest in the presidency and has been attacking President Donald Trump during his campaign, emphasizing the need to fight fire with fire against the former president.