Newsom plans 4-day tour of Southern states

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) — a likely presidential candidate in 2028 — will head to the South next week on a four-day, three-state sweep covering 10 counties, as part of his “Take it Back Tour,” his office announced Friday.

As part of the tour, which begins Wednesday, Newsom will visit South Carolina, which the Democratic National Committee recently announced would vote first in the Democratic primary in January 2028. The tour also will take him to Alabama and North Carolina.

“Governor Newsom is returning to the places where these fights were first won — and where MAGA’s rollback of rights carries the most weight today,” a press release announcing the tour reads.

“The lesson of the south is that rights are never guaranteed — they have to be won, and then defended,” the release states.

In South Carolina, where Newsom is expected to spend two days traveling the state, he will focus on downballot races, traveling through Jasper, Beaufort, and Dorchester counties — three counties Trump won in the 2024 presidential race.

In North Carolina, Newsom will campaign in the Charlotte area, where he will canvass with local Democrats and fundraise for key races.

In Alabama, Newsom is expected to walk the U.S. Civil Rights Trail with local civil rights leaders.

Earlier this month, Newsom traveled to battleground Michigan , where he met with Abdul El-Sayed, the Democrat vying for the Senate. He also appeared at an event with autoworkers and local leaders to help get out the vote for Democrats competing in the state.