California Gov. Gavin Newsom for president?

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - There's new speculation that California Gov. Gavin Newsom could be interested in running for president.

Newsom, who's running for re-election in November after handily beating a recall in 2021, has long denied any desire to run for for this post.

But some political analysts are now looking at Newsom's recent decision to start posting videos and calling out Republicans on Donald Trump's social media site, Truth Social, as an indication he might want to lead the free world one day.

The New York Times ran a story this week titled: "Gavin Newsom Pokes the GOP Bear," adding that the "California governor is up to something……"

San Francisco Chronicle political columnist Joe Garofoli isn't sure what to make of it. 

"I don't know what his end game is, is it sort of trolling, or is he is defending progressive Democratic values in a place where there is not a lot of that going on?" Garofoli asked. "And sort of casting himself, in a long game, as someone who will do that on behalf of Democrats?" 

Garofoli added that Newsom is getting stronger as a political contender, but it's still unclear what the governor's future has in store for 2024.