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.
The bots are at it again
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’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.
Im not holding out for a perfect candidate, I am holding out for a candidate that isn’t worse than useless as far as the objective of winning is concerned.
Are you not reading my words? How many times do I have to say this?
Gavin will lose, that is that reality, I am trying to be proactive and raise awareness so we can put our energy into candidates and movements that actually have a fighting chance.
This shit. This shit right here is how trump won.
Go to hell Russian bot. I swear this happens every election now
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.
I’m trying to see if a print leaned from part mistakes that perfect isn’t obtainable right now and in these desperate times we need to just fucking vote AGAINST fascism regardless of who is is standing 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 really deserve the shit we’re forced to endure.
At this point, I would vote for an upturned mop painted with lipstick for president.
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.
Genuinely, if Newsom is selected by the Democratic party in 2028, nothing will change and we’ll be staring down the barrel of trump 2.0 in 2032.
There are only two ways for the Democratic party to be relevant at this point:
- Support politicians who bring actual change to improve people’s lives
- Actually punish Republican politicians for all of the crimes that they are doing in broad daylight right now.
But the Dems showed in NY how they feel about #1, and are refusing to do anything with #2 in Minnesota (and completely fumbled the opportunity they had over the last few
yearsdecades nationwide)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…
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?
We already have Trump 2.0
I think they mean whoever the next fascist is to become President once Trump is gone.
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.
All the not-Republicans need to pick a leader now. Before one is picked for them.
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
He does fine as a thorn in Trump’s side. But that’s it.
You mean he does fine as the WWE kfabe opponent to Trump who performs the character of a resistance fighter on stage right?
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.
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.
-
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/
Remember, the “both sides” argument is always helpful, aren’t you glad you dodged having Kamala Harris for president?!?
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.
“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!”
😐
We just don’t want to be stuck with a lame duck as our only option.
I voted for Kamala, asshat.
Both sides are too soft to achieve the one goal worth doing: The total extinction of the human race.
now do shapiro
I think he’s blue MAGA fascist scum who should be tarred, feathered and barred from government if he survived. I remind others of this constantly. He must never be tolerated as a candidate again. If he were to somehow steal a nomination he is not to be voted for, revolution will be the only chance we have left.
Jesus Christ, show us your melodramatic and hyperbolic side, please. 🙄
Women and children are in concentration camps on US soil.
Seems, I dunno… kinda serious?
How could Kamala do this
So…your rationale is that Donald Trump and his cronies are acting like Nazis, so now Gavin Newsom is also responsible?
Shit, bro. You better just go after everyone that doesn’t have the legal capability to do anything about that. Seems like you’re maybe distracted by the wrong thing and not able to think of how to attack those problems aside from blaming absolutely everyone and doing nothing about it in the end.
Responsible? No, God no. I don’t think Trump being POTUS and raiding homes is anyone’s first idea but Trump’s and maybe his puppet masters.
buuut… is he…
Complicit? 100%
Paid off? 100%
Collaborated? 100%
I hate to downvote someone with such a high personal upvote score from me, but if you think I’m being melodramatic about homeless-torturing, bigoted, transphobic, nazi-felating, genocide-denying, surveilance-state supporting, openly corrupt cartoon villain that is Gavin Newsom then you have not been paying attention.
I hate to downvote someone with such a high personal upvote score from me
A what?
I’m guessing they have something that tracks your upvotes and downvotes for each user, and that the person they are replying to has a high count of upvotes.
Some apps, like Voyager, keep track of the total votes you have personally given to others.
The tarred and feathered and barred from govt thing. You should have just said what was in your response to me to be illustrative.
We don’t tar and feather people anymore for a reason. That’s both melodramatic and hyperbolic because of this fact.
I don’t think it is wrong to feel this existential about things, especially with someone as dangerous as Gavin Newsom who seems to be able to blatantly do evil shit but still get a hall pass from liberals because he had a good retort to Trump on facebook or something.
This inability and unwillingness to understand political leaders and have basic policy literacy about them will absolutely be terminal to our democracy if Gavin wins the next election just as much as it will be if Trump or one of his goon’s do.
If one more damn liberal tells me “Now is not the time!” one more time my brain is going to leak out my ears and I will begin hysterically crying/laughing.
If you were given a microphone in front of a huge crowd of people, started detailing all the reasons why you think he shouldn’t be a candidate for president, and then closed with “YEAH, LET’S TAR AND FEATHER THIS FUCKER, THEN LET’S BAN HIM FROM GOVERNMENT!!! HYAAAAAA!!!”
You think those people would be likely to be still think you’re to be treated seriously and still follow your suggestions?
We need people to speak strongly, but not be insane.
We need people to speak strongly, but not be insane.
We need people to speak to the urgency and existential nature of this moment. Yeah I don’t literally support tar and feathering Gavin. Yes calling for violence is bad, fine I disagree with that but that is a five alarm fire moment so I’m less inclined to clamp down on that phrasing in this context. I am far more scared of the implications of Gavin playing a spoiler in this election.
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 nor 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. (Even the average California voter aligned with his policies enough to elect him, after all.) 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.
I know you think that, paradoxically many people do but you are wrong that is my point.
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.
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 than 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 the following truism best 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” in my statement. It’s not a narrative, it’s an opinion.
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!
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