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.
…
“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.
libs in this thread, having already settled for mediocrity 2 years before there’s an election lol
like yea guys, keep putting shitass unappealing candidates and blaming their loss on scary internet communists who, as we all know, actually account for most of the non-voting population in the US. it worked so well the last checks notes 3 times.
Last 3x, and it’s the same strategy they’ve been running for 36 years, since 1990 with Bill Clinton, Epstein super friend. Total coincicence I’m sure that the democratic party was captured by a faction of the ruling class right when the israeli honeypot operation ensnared them all in child fucking blackmail, and god knows what else they have them on.
It’s not just about Israel is the thing. It’s a lot of the same billionaires with designs on the US to follow in that direction. And we don’t know who all got copies of what blackmail they accumulated over three decades.
It’s really really simple folks. Vote your conscience at the primary. Vote pragmatically in the general. Primaries are for changing your party from within. The general is for winning.
Blah blah both sides.
- See who the viable1 options are and their plans
- Pick the least-worse option
- Repeat
1 can they actually get in?
The people you think are viable are the non viable ones. Maybe the ivy league suits that tell you who is electable are actually playing you?
But don’t let me tell you the democratic establishment is playing you, if you haven’t figured it out now you never will, and it’s why we already lost choosing newsome, the electable candidate according to the Ivy League experts you likely listen to.
At this point, I would vote for an upturned mop painted with lipstick for president.
Any sane person would, but these kids would have you believe the perfection is out there waiting to be voted for.
progressive credentials
He’s only progressive if you squint a little, really want very badly to see him as progressive, and then pretend his actions line up with his progressive speech. And even the left-most of his speech is really milquetoast progressive, like elevator muzak rock and roll.
That caught my eye too. I didn’t think anyone thought he was progressive.
Anywhere else in the country, Newsom would have run as a Republican.
I disagree with this. He has a quintessentially non-GOP and Progressive LEAN. It’s just he grew up rich, became MORE rich, then got into politics young, so the other half half of him is a piece of shit.
He likes to think he USED to be a piece of shit, but he’s still at least half a piece of shit.
Slicked back hair. Glass House. White Ferrari. Live for New Year’s Eve. Sloppy steaks at Truffoni’s. Big rare cut of meat with water dumped all over it, water splashing around the table…
If you think he’s progressive you must not live in California. We have a pretty progressive legislature and he vetoes EVERYTHING that upsets shareholders or techbros. He literally let PG&E get away with murdering 800 Californians, he allows PG&E to not buy back power from solar panels and he allowed 6 rate hikes last year so they could continue to make record shareholder profits while Californians Now he’s fighting the one time 5% billionaire tax proposed by our legislators. He created a task force to hunt down teachers that teach the correct history on Palestine and under the guise of “antisemitism”. He also has time for a podcast somehow and he literally platforms Nazis and Zionists and agrees with them it’s disgusting. He’s Pelosi’s nephew and he’s basically a neoliberal republican
Geez you can’t jump scare me like that
Lol, sorry. Thread needs a TW
Oh no, now all the comments on this thread are going to read out in my internal voice artificially fast and it will make everyone sound smarmy af.
I don’t know what a watery steak is about? Can I have more information please?
All the not-Republicans need to pick a leader now. Before one is picked for them.
Jon Stewart or AOC. Right now I see them as the only viable options.
Sawn Fein, UAW boss for the late entry, Stewart and Fein and whatever else protest votes consolidate to one and endorse each other this time before any super tuesday type deal. Don’t let elizabeth warren types play spoiler this time. Our supposed progressive champion knowingly throwing the presidency to Biden, that I knew was going to fail, but she somehow didn’t?
We never pick a leader, that’s a role exclusively delegated to the party. We have the illusion of choice with primaries but in the end the party always gets their pick
Only because we don’t do it. That’s the entire point. If we let the party do it as before we get Newsome, we lose and if by a miracle he wins nothing changes and he hands it back.
The party establishment’s biggest fear is losing control of the party from the donors’ tools, to popular reformers. That is behind everything they do electorally, in office everything they do also includes extracting money from the federal government for their donors, but winning is not their motivation, it’s keeping the left out.
We already have Trump 2.0
I think they mean whoever the next fascist is to become President.
The shitlibs are desperate for the next fascist to be Newsom. If he won, then after his one and only disastrous term, we will get full blown Handmaids Tale in retaliation. If he loses — which is more likely — we just go straight to Handmaids Tale.
The only way this cycle is broken is by filling government with leftist reformationists and aggressively hunting and punishing every last Republican nazi. If a candidate isn’t a member of the DSA or something similar, they must be crushed by any and all means.
I have to assume at this point that anyone defending Newsom as a viable, reasonable candidate is a foreign agent.
Unless you’re referring to conspiracy theories about being replaced by a clone, in pretty sure it’s still the same guy
yes, trump 2.0 usually refers to this being his 2nd term. lets stray in reality please, its bad enough with out adding conspiracy theories.
Trump is still Trump, he has a second term, but he is still the same trump. No one calls the same person in their 2nd term “2.0” Trump 2.0 will be whoever the person that replaces Trump will be. He’ll be younger, and possibly more dangerous.
I got what you think the term ment but it has ready been taking to represent his second term.
Here come the protest voters to ensure Trump’s legacy continues.
I am trying to get us to win by having a candidate that actually has a chance, which Gavin doesn’t because the more everybody learns about him nationally the less people like him, what the hell are you trying to do?
Your just here to slam dems. Happens every election cycle. Flick off and eat trash you Russian bot.
I make a good chunk of the posts on the Ukraine sopuli community to pro-Ukrainian news coverage, you could not have picked a worse lazy accusation to throw clumsily in my direction. Check my post history, and next time think before you type :)
I’m trying to ensure that people have learned from past mistakes that perfect isn’t obtainable right now and in these desperate times we need to just fucking vote AGAINST fascism regardless of who it is that is standing in it’s way.
But if you really feel the need to rally people into falsely assuming that a perfect candidate is worth holding out for- I guess it’s that’s all the proof needed that we collectively haven’t learned shit, and probably just deserve the shit we’re forced to endure.
Yet you are in fact leading us to failure and blaming the victims of you believing the wrong people for that failure. How many times must you be lied to before you question who you trust for information?
If Newsome is your choice then apparently you don’t even think good is obtainable right now.
At this point- I don’t give a shit because ANYTHING is better than a fascist Nazi.
That you don’t agree says a lot more about you I’d say.
I don’t disagree that Gavin is better than actual fascists, but we have two years to actually come up with someone better and protecting him now when it’s obvious how garbage he is isn’t helping us.
I do. Gavin Newsome is a fascist. He is in bed with big tech, who are fascists, and cozies up to fascists like Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk. He openly admits that his son is a fascist and he doesn’t care. He vetos human rights bills. He tries to make life unlivable for homeless people. He is a fascist.
So again, the nuance of the topic is lost-
IF- Gavin is the one to remain standing, I am suggesting we vote for him.
Big IF.
This isn’t to suggest that I support everything he is about- but I’d vote for anyone over suffering a single extra day with an addled gelatinous child molesterer.
And to be honest- if who ever is out there that is better, and they don’t stand and be counted soon, I will have zero faith that they’re the right person.
So this limited any 11th hour arrivals if spoiler 3rd party idiots that disappear and reappear like cicadas every four years. Say what you will about Gavin, but he’s getting his hands dirty at least. And that means more than the silence from [candidate].
Trump is the result of “lesser of two evils” voting. Maybe try doing something different this time?
Im not holding out for a perfect candidate, I am holding out for a candidate that isn’t worse than useless to the objective of winning.
Okay… word it in whatever way paints the prettiest picture of hopeful rhetoric as you’d like, however, at the end of the day, you’re basically saying you refuse to vote against a fascist unless the person running against them meets some weird purity test that defies gradation.
It’s pretty fucking simple bud…. If we have no other options you FUCKING VOTE AGAINST the FASCIST. There is no debating this.
I honestly cannot believe we’re still having to teach this shit to people.
Never said I refused to vote, never said the candidate had to be perfect.
What you seem to refuse to understand is that we have far better options than Gavin Newsom both from a policy standpoint and an electability standpoint.
Get out of here with your accusations I have some weird purity test, I am applying basic political competency standards here and Gavin fails them desperately.
LMAO…
Two years prior to an election, you’re already salivating over anyone that isn’t him. You done even know who that is- but NOT Gavin is clearly your angle here
This is as bad faith as it gets and whatever you’re up to, I have doubts that it has anything to do with what you’re on about.
Two years prior to an election, you’re already salivating over anyone that isn’t him. You done even know who that is- but NOT Gavin is clearly your angle here
Right, now is too early and later will be too late I know how this one goes…
This shit. This shit right here is how trump won.
Go to hell Russian bot. I swear this happens every election now
Yes me the poster who vomits up article links to pro-Ukrainian news almost every day is a Russian bot.
Lol facepalm
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Every time these “less than perfect” candidates get elected they end up screwing us over and giving the Republicans fertile ground to expand their power networks. We’ve given such fake saviors countless opportunities and look where it’s landed us.
It’s going to take more than a good show of being anti-Nazi.
They never reverse any of the facist policies either
Oh look! Here’s one now!
He does fine as a thorn in Trump’s side. But that’s it.
You mean the WWE kfabe opponent to Trump who performs the character of a resistance figure?
For a corporate Dem like Newsom, that’s the most we’re ever going to get is theatre. So yeah.
To this post’s point, hell no on rallying behind him in ‘28. There are those who claim the DNC leadership has evolved and won’t be captured by corporate interests this time around. I think whether they attempt to shove Newsom down our throats is the perfect test of this theory.
Unfortunately, so much hangs in the balance of that decision. Really hate the two party trap we’re living in, at times like this especially.
Remember, the “both sides” argument is always helpful, aren’t you glad you dodged having Kamala Harris for president?!?
“Guys I know we’re 2 years out from the Presidentals but stop shitting on the open transphobe who platforms literal Nazis on his podcast, is married to a registered republican and doesnt do anything remotely left leaning for his state! At least he’s a democrat!”
😐
Both things can be true: Kamala would have been a bad president, she would have been better than Trump.
We don’t have to settle for Newsome, the primary isn’t until 2028, so it’s a good idea to snuff the thought out now.
I voted for Kamala, asshole.
We just don’t want to be stuck with a lame duck as our only option.
Both sides are too soft to achieve the one goal worth doing: The total extinction of the human race.
The bots are at it again
now do shapiro
lol every week there’s one of these gavin bad posts on here; there’s a lot worse out there - in more power - right now
“Guys I know we’re 2 years out from the Presidentals but stop shitting on the open transphobe who platforms literal Nazis on his podcast, is married to a registered republican and doesnt do anything remotely left leaning for his state. There’s worse people out there!”
😐 news flash buddy, theres also better people.
what about:
Key Progressive Laws Enacted by Gavin Newsom
Reproductive Health and Rights
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AB 260: Allows health care providers to prescribe abortion medication anonymously and ensures coverage for mifepristone.
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AB 1525: Protects attorneys assisting with reproductive care from disciplinary actions.
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Increased Protections: California has implemented laws to enhance access to reproductive health care and safeguard providers from legal repercussions.
Health Care Access
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Medi-Cal Expansion: Coverage for psychiatric emergencies in hospital emergency rooms under AB 1316.
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Behavioral Health Initiatives: Significant funding for residential treatment beds and outpatient slots, enhancing mental health services.
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Affordable Medications: Introduction of $11 insulin through CalRx, aimed at making essential medications more affordable.
Housing and Homelessness
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Housing Bills: Laws like SB 423 streamline the approval process for affordable housing projects, addressing California’s housing crisis.
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Support for Homelessness: Initiatives to dismantle homeless encampments while providing necessary support services.
Environmental Policies
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Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization: Extends California’s cap-and-trade program to 2045, promoting cleaner air and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Investment in Clean Energy: Laws aimed at lowering energy costs and promoting renewable energy sources.
Economic and Social Justice
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Minimum Wage Increase: Legislation to raise the minimum wage, benefiting hundreds of thousands of workers.
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Support for Undocumented Immigrants: Measures to protect immigrant rights and access to services.
just to start and name a few
The articles I linked specifically point out Gavin’s failures on housing and healthcare, so yeah that is very much a start and nothing else.
Gavin Newsom glazing Charlie Kirk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XJ6rQDRKGA
Gavin Newsom glazing Steve Banon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mvMP8uTgnU
Gavin Newsom glazing Dr Phil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj09LY67WKU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsnEJYeb7E
Gavin Newsom glazing Ben Shapiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrDpBwpSqSc
Newsom not only vetoing a pro-trans bill, but then saying he did it due to “unfair athletics”: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-17/newsom-vetoes-key-health-measure-transgender-politics
The unfair athletics statement then spawns an anti-trans bill: https://www.them.us/story/gavin-newsom-podcast-republicans-california-anti-trans-sports-bill-failure
Gavin Newsoms wife who was registered as a Republican then flip flopped to registering as a Democrat when Newsom started his 2028 media campaign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Siebel_Newsom
Stop promoting this fucker. I don’t care how many people you save from a burning building if you are the person who intentionally set the building on fire. Newsom is the democrat equivalent of a RINO.
Careful with that nuance around here. The kids get very upset when their cognitive dissonance gets triggered.
Gavin Newsom glazing Charlie Kirk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XJ6rQDRKGA
Gavin Newsom glazing Steve Banon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mvMP8uTgnU
Gavin Newsom glazing Dr Phil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj09LY67WKU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsnEJYeb7E
Gavin Newsom glazing Ben Shapiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrDpBwpSqSc
Newsom not only vetoing a pro-trans bill, but then saying he did it due to “unfair athletics”: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-17/newsom-vetoes-key-health-measure-transgender-politics
The unfair athletics statement then spawns an anti-trans bill: https://www.them.us/story/gavin-newsom-podcast-republicans-california-anti-trans-sports-bill-failure
Gavin Newsoms wife who was registered as a Republican then flip flopped to registering as a Democrat when Newsom started his 2028 media campaign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Siebel_Newsom
😂
-
Ok? Gavin is a false alternative to them and is dangerous because he only superficially appears to be an alternative.
The guy just declared Feb 6 as Ronald Reagan day. In what way is that “superficial”?
Wow wtf what why that is like shooting yourself in the foot before a track race…?
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/06/governor-newsom-proclaims-ronald-reagan-day/
Rest assured that these clowns will do evening in their power to get people to not vote for him.
I don’t think “disappoints California progressives” is the damning indictment that California progressives seem to think that it is, even within California.
Do you think the average US voter alligns with Gavin Newsom’s policies? This isn’t about being progressive it is about Gavin not having popular policy positions or a track record that would give nervous voters confidence.
I think so, or rather I think that the average US voter aligns more with Gavin Newsom’s policies than with the policies of a hypothetical alternative candidate that Salon might prefer. As for what gives nervous voters confidence: that seems to be more about theatrics and vibes than about policies. I’m personally not impressed by Newsom’s Twitter shtick but maybe swing voters are - I assume he did his research.
I think so, or rather I think that the average US voter aligns more with Gavin Newsom’s policies than with the policies of a hypothetical alternative candidate that Salon might prefer
The Baily’s do not exist. People want universal healthcare and to be able to work a single job to make a living wage. They don’t want tax breaks for entrepreneurs.
This leads to a second strike against Newsom: California has struggled during his time as governor, which began in 2019. It is one of just seven states that has experienced a net population loss since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, shedding 91,000 residents—more than any state except New York. One of the biggest culprits has been the state’s unaffordability. California has long been one of the most expensive states to live in, a reality that has only grown worse in the last five years.
It’s important to note that Newsom has recently worked to reduce red tape and accelerate the construction of new housing to lower home prices. But rather than taking a cue from another Democrat on the rise, Zohran Mamdani—who, despite his own vulnerabilities, has adopted an almost monomaniacal focus on cost-of-living issues in his New York City mayoral campaign—Newsom hasn’t touted these efforts nearly as much and has instead pivoted to picking fights with national Republicans.
This is a troubling development, especially as Americans have identified inflation as the most important issue facing the country for the last three years, and many voters, including pivotal swing voters, voted for Trump with cost of living at top of mind last year. Come 2028, with Trump out of the picture, how does Newsom plan to respond to critics of his management of the state?
https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/democrats-can-do-better-than-gavin
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I highly doubt that any of the people complaining about Newsom have any idea what Newsom’s policies even are.
But the idea that the Democratic governor of California isn’t liberal enough is just laughable. You guys are as delusional as MAGA folks, as Russians, as North Koreans.
But the idea that the Democratic governor of California isn’t liberal enough is just laughable.
Tell me you don’t understand California politics without telling me you don’t understand California politics.
I highly doubt that any of the people complaining about Newsom have any idea what Newsom’s policies even are.
Literally under an article about Newsom’s policies. You should hit your head against a horseshoe until you’re back in reality.
Look at his policies fool, he is a Democrat In Name Only.
All you people have are insults and slogans.
Are you sure you’re not a Republican?
I have linked to three articles that exhaustively detail how much of a shill Gavin is, so no, all I have is not just insults and slogans. I have evidence and I am sharing it because the idea of Gavin sending us straight to hell with his conception of “moderate” terrifies me.
Fuck Republicans, I am not a Republican. Fuck Trump, Fuck JD, Fuck Trump’s Whole Cabinet. I despise Gavin because he is precisely who Republicans want to run against to make their jobs easier.
California is closer to Libertarian state then to a socialist-deomcratic state.
One, that’s every candidate. Two, yeah we already know he’s authoritarian lite.
I 100% want to live in a world governed by true progressives.
I also think he’s by an order of magnitude more likely to be elected by the country at large that Sanders / AOC et al. And while Newsom is no true progressive and is FAR from perfect, he has made a handful of big progressive swings.
Newsom may be the candidate in which thr following truism applies: vote with your heart in the primary, with your head in the general.
Could you elaborate on those alleged progressive swings? Newsom seems to side with corporate at every opportunity. With PG&E he went from demanding accountability for their unsafe practices (PR stunt), to vetoing legislation aimed at reigning them in (meaningful action blocking the progressive desires of his constituents on behalf of his mega donors).
There is no evidence Newsom’s policies are more popular than AOC, neither is there evidence Newsom is more potentially popular to US voters as a political figure than AOC.
Stop spreading narratives that have no basis in reality.
Hence the “I think”
Ok but this is unhelpful lazy speculation, actually do some research on AOC, if anything Gavin Newsom is a major gamble to US voters with his inability to even rhetorically much less materially fight back against billionaires, which is a bipartisan liability in the next presidential election the size of a large battleship according to polling.
Hey I remember this rhetoric as Occupy Wallstreet crumbled!
I wonder what happened to Occupy Wallstreet? Did it just go away as mysteriously as it arrived, or was there perhaps federal action behind it’s dismantling? Since you remember Occupy Wallstreet, could you tell me why it “crumbled?”
