California Gov. Gavin Newsom is out of state, speaking to voters in churches and coffee shops in South Carolina in what many see as another step towards a presidential run, although he refused to comment directly on the 2028 race.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom embarked Tuesday on a two-day swing through rural South Carolina as the high-profile Democrat seeks to position himself as a leader for a party in rebuilding mode while simultaneously stoking fresh speculation about a potential 2028 presidential bid.

When Gavin Newsom visited South Carolina, Rep. Jim Clyburn joined him, calling the California governor "one of the leading voices in the Democratic Party."