Vance Says ‘Dumbest’ Democrat Between Newsom, Harris Will Win 2028 Nomination [WATCH]

Vice President JD Vance offered a blunt assessment of the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential field Wednesday night, predicting that whichever candidate he described as the “dumbest” between former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom would ultimately secure the party’s nomination, as reported by The New York Post.

Vance made the remarks during an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime, where he discussed the state of the Democratic Party and its likely direction heading into the next presidential cycle.

“I mean, look, the Democrats have a couple of big issues,” Vance said.

“One is that they lean so far into wokeism that they can’t see the obviousness of the fact, which is that Kamala Harris is not qualified to be president of the United States. That’s why she got the vice presidential nomination [in 2020]. That’s why she got the presidential nomination [in 2024]. This is who Kamala Harris is.”

Vance then turned his attention to Newsom, describing the California governor in stark terms.

“Now, the flip side is, I think you have an unbelievably corrupt and incompetent governor in Gavin Newsom,” Vance said.

“The fact that those are the two front-runners just suggest how deeply deranged the Democrat Party is. Let them fight it out, we’ll figure it out.”

JD Vance says the “dumbest candidate will probably win” for Democrats as their 2028 nominee.

I’d be careful if I were JD and not come across too arrogant.

He’s never accomplished anything and has to prove himself first to be the GOP nominee.

pic.twitter.com/POdJw09Oz6

— Cryptid Politics (@CryptidPolitics) January 8, 2026

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Polling data suggests Harris and Newsom are currently the leading figures in early Democratic primary speculation.

According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Newsom holds 23.6% support in a hypothetical nationwide Democratic primary, while Harris trails closely at 21.4%.

The rivalry between the two has reportedly grown strained.

The New York Times reported last month that tensions surfaced after Newsom failed to return a call from Harris on the day former President Joe Biden ended his bid for a second term.

Despite their shared political roots in California, the relationship between the two Bay Area natives has reportedly cooled.

Both Harris and Newsom entered high-profile politics on the same day more than two decades ago. On Jan. 8, 2004, Newsom was sworn in as mayor of San Francisco, while Harris took office as the city’s district attorney.

While Democrats weigh their options, Vance appears firmly positioned atop the Republican field. RealClearPolitics averages show Vance holding a 37.8-point lead over his closest hypothetical challenger, Donald Trump Jr..

Vance, 41, has said publicly that his focus remains on the 2026 midterm elections. He has indicated that discussions about 2028 will take place with President Donald Trump after the Nov. 3 vote.

“They have nothing to actually run on or govern on,” Vance said of Democrats.

“Their entire obsessive focus of that party is they hate Donald Trump.”

He added, “If they ever get power, are they going to, you know, lower Americans’ taxes? No. Are they going to make your life more affordable? No. Are they going to solve the crime crisis? No.”

“What they’re going to do is they’re going to spend all of their time and all of your money trying to get Donald Trump,” Vance said. “I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s ridiculous that’s what they’re running on.”

Vance also dismissed concerns about Democrats emphasizing affordability issues, even as some polls show President Trump facing challenges on cost-of-living questions.

“No, I’m not worried about that for the simple reason that the cost-of-living crisis, and it is real for a lot of American families, was caused by the Democrats,” Vance said.

“We haven’t even been in office for a year, and you’ve already seen prices start to come down. You’ve seen rent start to come down. You’ve seen groceries leveling off. Is there more work to do? Absolutely.”

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