California Gov. Newsom would do well if he ran for president, poll shows

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A new poll on the race for the 2024 presidential shows California Gov. Gavin Newsom would do well if he should decide to run.

The recent Yahoo News/YouGov survey looked at hypothetical matchups between Newsom and potential Republican candidates for president in 2024.

Head to head against former President Donald Trump, Newsom received 40% support to 39% for Trump. 

Against Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, Newsom came out ahead by 39% to 36%. More than 20% were undecided. 

These results are fueling speculation about who Democrats may consider as a candidate two years. 

"Right now, Democrats in Northern California have dominated the scene since Nancy Pelosi's been on the scene," said University of San Francisco political science professor James Taylor. "It shows Democratic strength against hypothetical Republican candidates, and that's a good sign for Democrats, but a lot has to happen between now and then."

Newsom's numbers were stronger against Trump than if Vice President Kamala Harris ran against him. 

Taylor says that's likely because she is tied closely to president Biden, and those polled associate her with his unpopular administration.

Newsom has said he has "sub-zero interest" in running for president in 2024, and yet, he's been running ads in Florida and on Fox News.