Governor Gavin Newsom Launches “Take it Back Tour” Across Southern States

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democratic governor widely discussed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, announced a four-day, three-state tour that will cover ten counties in South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. The trip, dubbed the “Take it Back Tour,” begins on Wednesday and is scheduled to last through the following weekend.

The Hill

The Democratic National Committee recently confirmed that South Carolina will hold the first Democratic primary in January 2028, heightening the strategic importance of the state for national candidates. Newsom’s tour follows a recent visit to Michigan, where he met with Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, indicating a broader effort to bolster Democratic prospects in key battlegrounds ahead of the 2028 cycle.

The Hill

• South Carolina: Newsom will spend two days traveling through Jasper, Beaufort and Dorchester counties—areas that voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The focus will be on down-ballot races.

The Hill

• North Carolina: The governor plans to canvass in the Charlotte metropolitan area, meeting local Democrats and fundraising for targeted contests.

The Hill

• Alabama: He is slated to walk portions of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail alongside regional civil-rights leaders, underscoring historical voting-rights themes.

The Hill

The release linked the tour’s purpose to countering what it described as “MAGA’s rollback of rights” in the South.

The Hill

By targeting counties that supported the 2024 Republican ticket, the tour aims to energize Democratic voters and raise funds for local candidates. The emphasis on civil-rights symbolism in Alabama and outreach in North Carolina’s urban centers suggests a strategy to broaden Democratic appeal in traditionally Republican-leaning areas ahead of the 2028 primary calendar.

The Hill