Gavin Newsoms latest national charm offensive is colliding with the hard reality of his record in California, even as he flirts ever more openly with presidential ambitions.
During a recent soft-focus appearance on PBS, Newsom was asked whether he would continue his podcast if he became president, and his demeanor shifted instantly; he grew visibly animated, even giddy, at the prospect, then mused aloud about what he might wear for the broadcast. According to Gateway Pundit, this kind of unserious posturing raises an obvious question: how is anyone supposed to take this man seriously as a governor, much less as a credible contender for the White House?
If Newsom does seek the presidency, he will not be able to dodge the record of the state he governs, a state that has become shorthand for progressive excess and policy failure. Even the Associated Press has framed the dilemma bluntly: California made Gavin Newsom famous. Will it drag down his 2028 presidential ambitions?
On the ground in early-primary South Carolina, the worst-kept secret in Democratic politics is already on open display. Gavin 2028 buttons were being sold outside his events as he crisscrossed the state, while his allies, the state party chair, college presidents and pro-Newsom activists all openly hinted at his national aspirations.
Behind the scenes, the ambitions are even clearer, with people close to him privately referring to a White House run as the next thing. Yet for all the stagecraft and branding, Newsom has barely begun to grapple with what may be his most intractable problem: California itself, a progressive laboratory that people across the political spectrum love to hate.
South Carolina voters appear to understand this instinctively. Vera DeVito, a 78-year-old Democrat who attended one of Newsoms eight public events in the state, admitted she knew little about his policies beyond the fact that hes from the Golden State, and on that basis alone she warned that backing him could be risky.
Its going to be hard for him to appeal to the whole country, DeVito said in Summerville. Everybody thinks California is different especially in the South. Theyre not crazy about California. Voters have good reason to be wary: under Newsoms leadership, California has suffered its first population decline in history, a stark verdict on high taxes, rampant crime, homelessness, and regulatory overreach that no amount of slick media appearances can conceal from a national electorate.
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