Here's something you don't hear every day: a Republican saying he might vote for the governor of California. But Anthony Scaramucci isn't exactly your typical Republican these days.
Scaramucci, who famously lasted about 11 days as Donald Trump's White House Communications Director back in 2017, is now floating the idea of backing Governor Gavin Newsom in the 2028 presidential election. Yes, the same Gavin Newsom who's been sparring with Trump over everything from immigration enforcement to National Guard deployments.
In a recent conversation with Chuck Todd, Scaramucci didn't mince words about his interest in Newsom. "I don't know if I have two Democrats, because I am a Republican, but I like Newsom. I like what Newsom is doing," he said. He acknowledged the elephant in the room though, noting the difficulties of overcoming the "California brand" in a national election.
The California governor has been contemplating a 2028 run, though he's keeping his cards close for now. Newsom said back in October that he won't make any public decision until after the 2026 midterm elections. In the meantime, he's been locked in an escalating dispute with Trump, particularly over the president's decision to deploy the National Guard to handle anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
Scaramucci went further, suggesting that if he were advising Democrats, Newsom would be exactly the kind of candidate they'd want. "I think he is probably—if I were them—he would be the type of person I would want in the mix. Maybe there will be a younger guy. Maybe there's an Obama out there, or a Bill Clinton out there that I don't see—I'm not a Democrat," he explained.
This wouldn't be breaking new ground for Scaramucci. He's already endorsed Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in previous races against Trump. Since his brief White House stint, he's become one of the more vocal Republican critics of the former president.
What makes this interesting isn't just one Republican's political preferences. It's what it signals about the fractured state of the GOP. When a former Trump aide is openly considering backing a Democrat who's been one of Trump's loudest adversaries, that tells you something about the political realignment happening within the party. Whether this influences other Republicans to reconsider their allegiances remains to be seen, but it's certainly a data point worth watching as we head toward 2028.
