California Gov. Gavin Newsom was on the road again on the weekend – but not for the benefit of California.
Instead, it was to promo his much-hyped memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” and fuel hype about his expected 2028 presidential run at the trendy SXSW Festival.
First stop was Miami, Florida, for a $65 a ticket promotional talk at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
The governor’s last major press splash in the Sunshine State was way back in 2022, when he released an ad urging Floridians fed up with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to pack their flip-flops and head west.
Vivian Tu interviews Newsom at the South by Southwest Festival. Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP“I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight,” Newsom stated in the ad.
“Or join us in California where we still believe in freedom.”
The Miami trip is only the latest pit stop on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s extensive memoir tour this year. AFP via Getty ImagesHow times change.
When he sat down with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos and his daughter Paola Ramos, he wasn’t thinking about stemming the flow of Californians to Florida, it was yet again to shill his self-described “deeply resilient story of identity, belonging and the defining moments that shaped a life in politics.”
Gavin Newsom shakes hands with British Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband on Feb. 16. APThe Miami trip was his fifth out-of-state trip this year, the latest pit stop on Newsom’s extensive travel itinerary this year as he raises his profile ahead of an expected presidential run.
Then it was on to Austin, Texas, on Sunday for an appearance at the trendy SXSW festival, for hour-long session and live podcast with Vivian Tu, who hosts “Networth and Chill.”
Gavin Newsom, wife Jennifer, and podcaster Vivian Tu, at SXSW Sunday. Getty Images for Vox MediaThe governor’s office did not confirm how many total days he’s been out of California in 2026, but by the Post’s count, it’s two weeks or more, including travel time, taking in two long-haul jaunts to Europe and three legs of his book tour.
“The Governor’s travel includes official state business, meetings advancing California’s economic and job-creating climate partnerships, political and personal activity conducted in his personal capacity,” said Newsom’s spokesperson Izzy Gardon.
“In contrast to Donald Trump — who has spent 24.1% of his presidency golfing — when the Governor is away from the Capitol, he is in constant contact with his team and continues to work wherever he is with secure communications to fulfill his duties.”
Newsom’s six-figure trips to Europe were funded by the California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit funded by wealthy donors, some of whom have business before the state.
The foundation, originally established in 2002 as the Golden State Host Committee, is now run by top Newsom advisers Steve Kawa, Jim DeBoo and Jason Elliott, along with Sacramento Kings executive Matina Kolokotronis.
Newsom’s book tour has stoking the chatter surrounding his widely expected 2028 presidential bid. REUTERSThe group has collected more than $6.2 million in donations to cover his travel and events, according to state records.
It’s unclear who picks up the tab for the book tour, with Newsom’s office not returning request for comment.
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On his widely-publicized trip to Davos — where he trolled President Trump and scolded world leaders for cowing to the White House — he was away from his day job for four or five days, including travel time for the more than 11-hour trek, between Jan. 19 and Jan. 23.
Weeks later he embarked on another long-haul jaunt to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, where appeared on a Feb. 13 climate panel and claimed credit for “manufacturing innovation” in America — again stoking talk of his widely expected presidential bid.
He rounded out the trip by signing a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 16 in London with the United Kingdom related to clean energy before making the 5,300-mile journey back to California.
Newsom’s last major press splash in Florida was in 2022, when he released an ad urging Floridians to move west. Twitter / @GavinNewsomHis book tour has not-so-subtly taken him through key Democratic primary states, including South Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada.
He kicked off a roughly four-day promotional jaunt with a Feb. 21 stop in Nashville, Tenn., followed by appearances in Atlanta, Ga., Rock Hill., S.C., and New York.
Earlier this month, he hit up Las Vegas, Nev. and Portsmouth, N.H. for book events on March 4 and March 5, respectively.
He also reportedly made a stop in Boulder City, Nev. for a private event at the home of Democratic Party activist Judy Hoskins.
Republican candidate for governor Steve Hilton call Newsom “a governor in name only” and called on him to suspend his “narcissistic” book tour, return to California, and suspend the gas tax.
“The only question Californians are asking is this: considering how utterly useless Newsom is when he’s here doing his job, is it actually better if he stays away and doesn’t make things even worse?
“The good news is, he’ll be out of office in a few months and I’l be there to start cleaning up Newsom’s mess.”
Carl DeMaio, a Republican State Assemblyman, said Newsom will be meeting many who have fled the state due to his bad policies on his road tour.
“They left because of high prices, broken schools and the homeless crisis. Now he wants a promotion,” he said.
The governor is offering free copies of his book with ticket purchases at his events — and his team claims the tome has sold some 100,000 copies, topping bestseller lists.
He’s also foisted copies of the book onto campaign donors “of any amount” as he burnishes his national profile through his political action committee, Campaign for Democracy.
The governor has rebuffed questions about his presidential aspirations, telling The Post at a press conference last month that it was “too early” to say.






