Dem
47
GOP
53
Yesterday, we had an item about Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) positioning himself for a presidential run in 2028. Possibly the only person who is being more obvious about his intentions is Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who will be term-limited in 2026, and so will be able to campaign full-time in 2027.
At the moment, Newsom's approach to the presidential contest is three-pronged. First, he is trying to claim the mantle as the leader of the anti-Trump resistance. There are many others who are trying to claim that mantle as well, but Newsom is particularly well positioned here, because Trump sees California as the enemy, and because Newsom is able to initiate both legislation and lawsuits that will frustrate the White House's agenda. Beshear does not have that opportunity, nor do any of the myriad Democratic senators who aspire to a run.
Second, Newsom is doing everything he can to cast aside the "California liberal" label that might as well be tattooed on his forehead, and to reinvent himself as a centrist. He's been hosting some pretty odious right-wingers—e.g., Charlie Kirk, Steve Bannon, Dr. Phil McGraw, Michael Savage—on his podcast, in the name of "dialogue." He's also taken some litmus-test-failing stands on certain culture-wars issues, most obviously opining that trans girls should not compete in girls sports.
And finally, Newsom has gotten to work on the nuts-and-bolts stuff that a presidential aspirant has to do. That's actually the news that drives this item; Newsom is currently touring South Carolina, where he has displayed a newfound love of scripture (specifically Corinthians) that was not known to the Governor's California constituents. That was at a meeting of hundreds of African Methodist Episcopal bishops, incidentally.
Newsom has also rubbed elbows with a lot of prominent Democratic movers and shakers in The Palmetto State, among them Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), who joined Newsom at several town hall meetings. Clyburn, who obviously carries an enormous amount of clout with voters in South Carolina, particularly Black voters, said: "I feel good about his chances."
Officially, Newsom's trip is being undertaken in support of communities that have been ravaged by natural disasters, and that will be ravaged by cuts to Medicaid. Exactly why such folks would need a visit from a governor on the other side of the country, and exactly what a governor from the other side of the country might do about such problems from his current post, was somehow unexplained.
Of course, everyone knows what's really going on, just as with all those trips by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to Iowa back in 2023. It's interesting that Newsom is focusing on South Carolina. Maybe that is just the luck of the draw, and he'll be leasing apartments in Iowa and New Hampshire in short order. Maybe it is because South Carolina is sure to be one of the early states, while the status of Iowa and New Hampshire is somewhat in flux. Or maybe it is because he thinks he's got a better chance at winning over Democratic voters (especially Black voters) in South Carolina than the two other places.
In any event, it is going to be a tall order to overcome the reflexive dislike that many voters, including many Democratic voters, have for California in general, and for Newsom in particular. He does have a lot of time and energy to devote to the task, as noted, and he's a very shrewd political operator, so while we wouldn't want to bet money on him, we wouldn't count him out, either. (Z)