Newsom and his team have successfully tapped into the need that many rank-and-file Democrats have for adopting a confrontational approach to Trump and his policies. But few people outside of California know much about the governor’s actual record — and many Democratic voters will be turned off to learn that his fervent opposition to a billionaire tax is part of an overall political approach that has trended more and more corporate-friendly.
A year ago, Newsom sent about 100 leaders of California-based companies a prepaid cell phone “programmed with Newsom’s digits and accompanied by notes from the governor himself,” POLITICO reported. One note to the CEO of a big tech corporation said, “If you ever need anything, I’m a phone call away.” While pandering to business elites, Newsom has slashed budgets to assist the poor and near-poor with healthcare, housing and food – in a state where seven million live under the official poverty line and child poverty rates are the highest in the nation.
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“Governor Newsom’s reluctance to propose meaningful revenue solutions to help blunt the harm of federal cuts undermines his posture to counter the Trump administration.” The statement said that the proposed budget “will leave many Californians without food assistance and healthcare coverage.”
So far, key facts about Newsom’s policy priorities have scarcely gone beyond California’s borders. “National media have focused on Newsom as a personality and potential White House candidate and have almost completely ignored what he has and has not done as a governor,” said columnist Dan Walters, whose five decades covering California politics included 33 years at the Sacramento Bee. “It’s a perpetual failing of national political media to be more interested in image and gamesmanship rather than actual actions, the sizzle rather than the steak, and Newsom is very adept at exploiting that tendency.”
Also see https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/10/gavin-newsom-presidential-candidate-democrats
Like Trump, Newsom breaks promises, serves billionaire interests and mistakes social media theatrics for leadership. Is that really what American voters will want in 2028? After Richard Nixon, Americans chose Jimmy Carter. After George W Bush, they chose Barack Obama. After Trump, they’ll likely want change – authentic, strong, moral leadership, a leader with competence and vision.
Two years away. Useless to even talk about this. Everyone remember desantis? Yeah, see how that turned out.
Relax and vote in every election, especially primaries. But yeah... Relax.
Pelosi is pushing Gavin Newsom, which is why people are not happy.
Pelosi has a lot of political clout amongst the establishment Dems. And she's going to absolutely lose it for them if she continues.
After throwing 2024 to push both Biden and Kamala she should not have any clout left, but she does. Which indicates a larger problem with the Democrats than only Pelosi.
Like all neo-liberals, they're 10 degrees left of center at the best of times, 10 degrees right if it affects them personally. Love them, love them, they're a liberal.
And we wait two years and people say oh well let's pick the safe option and we have the most corporate candidate shoved down our throats again for the fourth time (Hilary, Biden, Kamala, and I guess Newsom)
We can't wait, our problems are too large in this country. We need significant changes, fdr level.
If we elect another corporate candidate then our fate is sealed, pretty much proves magas point and we leave room for fascism.
Scratch a neo-liberal a fascist bleeds. I see no difference between them now and yeah, I'm with a friend. If Gruesome Newsom ends up being the pick for the Dems I'm abstaining. This "lesser evil" election mantra isn't working anymore.