Outgoing California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is seen by many political insiders as one of the leading candidates to secure the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
But a surprise Democrat has suddenly emerged from The Golden State, and has some serious backing by major Democratic power players.
As first reported by Politico’s Playbook, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is reportedly being prepared to run for president in 2028 with the help of former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, who also worked with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and current California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra on their respective campaigns.
READ NOW: Ro Khanna Being Prepped for 2028 Presidential Run by Ron Klain — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is reportedly being prepared to run for president in 2028 by former President Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ron…https://t.co/89mdyU4Zfn
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According to the report, Khanna has caught the attention of Ron Klain, an attorney who was an appointee of former President Barack Obama as the White House Ebola Response Coordinator.
Klain, who was named Biden’s chief of staff after working as a senior adviser on his 2020 campaign, is now a chief legal officer at Airbnb, and is allegedly “using his personal time” to advise Khanna “as he prepares for a possible 2028 presidential bid,” according to Politico.
Khanna has not shied away from a possible 2028 run.
Khanna announced while speaking with left-wing activist Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network Conference in April that he would “consider” a run after the November midterm elections.
Khanna, known as a far-left progressive congressman, has championed progressive causes like recently calling to “tear down” U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and speaking out against the Republicans’ Laken Riley Act.
Klain is also viewed as a far-left Democrat, who told the Daily Beast in 2021, “Progressives are a big part of our party and making sure their voices are heard here at the White House is a big part of my job.”
In 2022, Politico also did a deep dive into Klain with the following headline: “Progressives, once skeptical of Biden, rally around his chief of staff.”
“Once-sidelined liberals see Ron Klain as a critical conduit between them and the West Wing,” the subhead reads.
According to reports, Klain entered socialist Mamdani’s circle to help him with debate prep in 2025, and did the same, plus general advising for New York congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy.
He is also reportedly “assisting” with California’s Democratic nominee for governor, Xavier Becerra, and “advising” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) on his reelection campaign.