Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass demurred when asked if she would endorse California Governor Gavin Newsom for president, stating in a recent interview that it is "way too early" to make such a commitment. The exchange occurred on MS NOW on Saturday, with host Jacob Soboroff posing the question months after Newsom endorsed Bass for her reelection bid.
Bass, 72, responded to the presidential endorsement query with a simple, "Way too early. We'll see." When pressed if Newsom had discussed presidential aspirations with her, Bass replied with a smile, "No, not at all."
Soboroff had set up the question by confirming Newsom's endorsement of Bass. The mayor acknowledged receiving the endorsement, which came during a competitive primary earlier this year, contributing to her advancement to a November runoff election against Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman.
Newsom, 58, has been the subject of speculation regarding a potential presidential run. He recently made an appearance in Aiken, South Carolina, to campaign for Democrats in the lead-up to the midterm elections, an event Soboroff highlighted before asking Bass about an endorsement.
Bass addressed her opponent, Nithya Raman, and an endorsement Raman received from the Democratic Socialists of America. Bass stated that she did not actively seek such an endorsement and believes her policies do not align with that group. "I think in terms of their policies, they didn’t pursue me either - because they know that there’s not alignment there," Bass said.
Mayor Bass, who has led Los Angeles since 2022, has faced scrutiny over the city's homelessness crisis and her administration's response to the Palisades Fire in January 2025. During the wildfires, Bass was abroad attending a presidential inauguration. Reports indicated that fire department resources were reduced, and her office later sought to downplay concerns about the city's preparedness in the incident's aftermath.
In May, Newsom formally endorsed Bass for her second mayoral term, citing a decline in homelessness in Los Angeles. "The work Karen Bass is doing in Los Angeles is making our entire state stronger, with an 18 percent decline in homelessness while it grew nationally, historic drops in violent crime, boosting film production in LA, and protecting our communities against ICE. She has my full support for reelection," Newsom stated at the time. However, statistics released in August by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority indicated a 3.4 percent increase in homelessness rates in 2026, reversing a prior two-year decline.
Newsom has not officially declared any intentions to run for the White House. He has, however, been involved in public exchanges that some interpret as presidential posturing. In June, he engaged in a public back-and-forth with Senator JD Vance, mocking Vance's co-hosting duties on Fox News and questioning his ability to defend the economy, citing inflation on goods like gas and groceries.