Vice President JD Vance took a jab at California Governor Gavin Newsom during a conversation at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library on Thursday, contrasting the commercial reception of his new memoir with that of Newsom’s own writing, as prediction markets continue to rank the two men among the leading contenders for the 2028 presidential race.
The exchange came near the beginning of an event promoting Vance’s second book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” which reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list following its June 16 release. The interviewer opened the conversation by congratulating Vance on the milestone before relaying an anecdote about a reporter’s question comparing Vance and Newsom as political figures.
“A few weeks ago, some reporter asked me, ‘What was the difference between me and Gavin Newsome as political figures?'” Vance said. “And one of the things I can now say is that people actually bought my book and not his.”
Vance did not elaborate further on the comparison in the moment, instead thanking the interviewer before the conversation moved into a lengthy discussion of his memoir, which centers on his journey from atheism back to Catholicism. The book, focused heavily on his grandmother, his Marine Corps service, and his conversion in 2019, has been described by the vice president as “largely devoid of politics.”
Still, the comparison to Newsom lands at a moment when both men are widely viewed as their parties’ early frontrunners for the 2028 presidential race. According to Polymarket’s “Presidential Election Winner 2028” market, Vance currently holds the highest individual odds of any potential candidate at 20 percent, with Newsom in second place at 15 percent. The two men also lead their respective parties’ nomination markets, with Newsom polling as the top Democratic contender and Vance as the top Republican contender, according to Polymarket data.
The book-sales comparison underscores a broader divergence between the two men’s public personas, particularly on the war with Iran and the Trump administration more broadly. Vance has spent the past week leading U.S. delegation talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland, working to finalize a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict that began in late February. He has publicly defended the administration’s approach, telling reporters in Bürgenstock that the negotiations had laid a “good foundation” for a lasting deal and crediting Trump with refusing to let “mission creep” undermine the war’s original objectives.
Newsom, by contrast, has been a consistent and vocal critic of the administration, both on the Iran conflict and on Trump more broadly. The California governor has frequently used his platform to challenge the administration’s foreign policy and domestic agenda, and has publicly stated he is considering a 2028 presidential run, a decision he has indicated he will make following the 2026 midterm elections. Newsom has also said he and his wife are under federal investigation, a probe he has characterized as retaliation tied to his political ambitions.
The contrast between the two men extends to their public images more broadly. Vance has leaned into his faith-centered memoir and his role in high-profile diplomacy, while continuing to signal openness to a future presidential bid; he has said he plans to discuss a run with his wife, Usha, after the midterms. Newsom has built his national profile in part through frequent public clashes with the administration and a heavy media presence, which Polymarket’s market commentary has cited as a driver of his standing in the Democratic field.
Trading volume on the 2028 presidential markets has been substantial, with hundreds of millions of dollars wagered on the outcome more than two years before the election. Market analysts tracking the contest have noted that both men benefit from high name recognition tied to their current offices, while cautioning that the field remains fluid heading into the midterms, with other figures including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also drawing speculative interest.
For now, the brief exchange at the Nixon Library offered a glimpse of the rivalry’s tone outside the realm of policy: a swipe rooted not in Iran, immigration, or any other point of contention between the administration and its critics, but in book sales. Vance’s memoir has remained atop the bestseller list since its release, a detail the vice president and his interviewer both noted with some satisfaction before turning to the substance of his faith journey.
The appearance at the Nixon Library was Vance’s first major public event since returning from Switzerland, where he had arrived in San Diego aboard Air Force Two earlier in the week alongside his wife. Vice President JD Vance arrived in San Diego aboard Air Force Two Tuesday, accompanied by his wife, Usha, a San Diego native, and their German shepherd Atlas on a flight that began in Switzerland.