Netflix co-founder backs Gavin Newsom for president

Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, has thrown his support behind California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the 2028 presidential race, making him one of the first major Democratic megadonors to publicly back the governor’s prospective bid.

“Gavin is the candidate who can motivate both the left and the center,” Mr. Hastings told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that surfaced this week — remarks that quickly drew attention from a donor class still sorting through an unsettled 2028 field.

The endorsement follows a long financial relationship between Mr. Hastings and Mr. Newsom. The Netflix co-founder contributed $2 million to the governor’s Proposition 50 redistricting campaign last year, praising Mr. Newsom as a “gifted political strategist and a futurist.” He also donated $1 million to Future Forward, a pro-Kamala Harris super PAC, during the 2024 presidential election.

The backing comes shortly after Mr. Hastings announced he would step down from Netflix’s board of directors when his term expires at the company’s annual meeting in June, ending a tenure that began when he co-founded the streaming service with Marc Randolph in 1997.

“My real contribution at Netflix wasn’t a single decision; it was a focus on member joy, building a culture that others could inherit and improve,” Mr. Hastings said in a statement at the time.

Despite Mr. Hastings’ enthusiasm for Mr. Newsom, the governor faces a competitive primary landscape. An Echelon Insights poll conducted April 17–20 among 467 likely Democratic primary voters found former Vice President Kamala Harris leading the prospective field at 22%, with Mr. Newsom one point behind at 21%. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stood at 12%, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York at 10%, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at 5%, and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey at 4%.

Mr. Newsom has not formally declared a 2028 presidential campaign. He told CBS News’ “Sunday Morning” last October that after the 2026 midterms, he would give the question “serious thought,” adding, “Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise.”

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