Overview

• The Aug. 25–26 Emerson College survey of 1,000 registered voters found Newsom at 25% among 387 Democratic voters, a rise of roughly 13 points since June.
• Pete Buttigieg polled at 16% and Kamala Harris at 11%, with no contender approaching a majority and about 16% of Democrats undecided.
• Emerson’s Spencer Kimball reported notable increases for Newsom among voters under 30 and over 70, and among both Black and White voters.
• In a hypothetical 2028 general election measured by the same poll, Newsom and Vice President JD Vance were tied at 44% each, with 12% undecided.
• Newsom’s profile has grown through a drive to advance a California congressional map intended to counter GOP gains in Texas, with a statewide vote slated for November.