My opinion of Newsom as a native Californian for what it's worth

[senseandsensibility]

I grew up with Newsom as a public figure on local television so he is very familiar to me. I like him, even admire him, but I am not willing to commit to him as my choice for POTUS in 2028.

As far as I can see, he has faults like all our potential candidates do. Playing footsie with the manosphere did not play well with me because he didn't challenge them enough IMO.

But he has real, undeniable strengths. And these strengths, while obvious in the past couple of weeks, have been on display locally for a long, long time. In 2004, as Mayor of San Francisco, he instructed City Hall to start recognizing marriage equality because it was a Civil Rights issue. This was way before the mainstream of the Democratic Party recognized these rights. Biden and Obama were both against it. His stance took courage He did not back down.

I think we can count on him and he is not easily intimidated. But I am in no hurry to "pick" a candidate now. For one thing, we don't need a sitting duck target for all of magaworld and the corporate media to attack. They will do that no matter who the candidate it. Let's keep our enemies in suspense for a while longer.

And whether he's a candidate or not, let's unite behind what he's doing on redistricting. Unity, people! It's how we win elections!

[Easterncedar]

1. Wise words, thanks

[popsdenver]

28. That's a good idea

I think we should start a rumor that Hillary is running again, with Obama as her VP, and ask Hillary and Obama, if asked tell them NO COMMENT to keep them strung out and in fear for 2028........LOL The Republicans certainly can't bad mouth either of them any more than they have already been doing for a decade or two.......

[Staph]

2. I really, really don't want

another "pubic" figure in the White House!

Otherwise, thanks for the point of view of someone who has watched Newsom for a long time. We East Coasters didn't know much about him until quite recently.

[senseandsensibility]

4. What I meant was he was a local politician for me

because of where I lived ( in the SF Bay Area) and familiar to all who live here. I did not mean that he was any kind of "celebrity". Of course whoever wins the nomination will have to be some kind of public figure to gather enough support to win.

[Staph]

53. I'm sorry!

Everyone send to have misunderstood my comment.

I don't mind a "public" figure; I don't want a "pubic" figure.

[senseandsensibility]

71. You're right

Last edited Wed Aug 20, 2025, 02:44 PM - Edit history (1)

It went right over my head! Edited it.

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. What do you want, then?

Another Ross Perot or someone from the Natural Law Party?

Any serious candidate for the job is gonna have a good deal of "celebrity," i.e. name recognition. Others don't stand a chance.

[RockCreek]

46. Did Obama really qualify for that before he ran for president?

Giving the DNC speech hadn't been enough to put him on my radar. Had he done anything else that might make him nationally known?

[Oeditpus Rex]

48. Did he need to?

Last edited Tue Aug 19, 2025, 09:47 PM - Edit history (1)

That speech knocked it out of three or four parks. The media fell in love with him. Instant celebrity beyond Chicago and Springfield.

[Trueblue Texan]

60. Obama's experience didn't qualify him, exactly...

...but his intelligence and ability to to capture our common values into words we all could understand did. Plus he was a Constitutional scholar and we were right to expect his adherence to the Constitution. TSF in office now had NO such recommendation. He was a thug then and has become an even greater thug in years since.

[Hekate]

62. Obama had already made the min quals specified in the Constitution He'd been nationally noted as a student

…for being the first Black man in the Harvard Law Review..The book he wrote (Dreams From My Father) was a bestseller and wowed the people who read it. So we already had a good look at his intelligence and potential. Dem Party made him keynote speaker at the DNC which is what they do on purpose to point up a rising star. His state elected him their US Senator which also put him on the map.

Many if not most who decide to run for president have fewer things to qualify them — Obama was genuinely brilliant as it happens

Gov Newsom is the gov of the largest US State. That state has the 4th largest economy in the world and is very diverse He’s an experienced politician with many crises under his belt including a pandemic

I don’t know what more you want for quals

[North Coast Lawyer]

69. What's the alternative?

Any decent candidate is going to be almost by definition a "public" figure.

[Staph]

80. The original post, since corrected, referenced

a "pubic" figure.

[sdfernando]

3. I like him and he has really shown a lot of forward leadership over the many years he has been in politics

but I also am not ready to commit...Jeez, we have to ge through 2026 1st! Who knows what other candidates may emerge in the next few years? All the candidates will have strengths and weaknesses. I will take these into account when I make my final decision who to support...but once we have the Democratic nominee, whoever that is, I will support them.

[senseandsensibility]

5. Exactly!

And I think it's also really important for all Dems to support his redistricting push with no equivocating.

[sdfernando]

6. 100% !!! /nt

[Bettie]

7. He's unlikely to be my personal primary choice

for a lot of reasons, one of which is the celebrity factor.

If he is our nominee, I'll vote for him like everyone's lives depend on it. Oh, wait, they will.

What he's doing with redistricting is good, he's fighting against the Republican power grab and I appreciate that.

[vanlassie]

15. "Celebrity factor?"

He is an effective and charismatic public servant. Extremely articulate and good looking. Which of these (or is there something else?) disqualifies him for being a “celebrity?”

[chowder66]

17. He's not a celebrity. He is the Governor of California.

[obamanut2012]

25. He is our Governor, he isn't a celebrity

[dem4decades]

35. In 2007 Obama had "celebrity factor", as did Clinton in the early 90s.

[Tommy Carcetti]

8. He's a little too polished and bland for my taste. Would certainly vote for him as a nominee though.

On the other hand, his social media team absolutely rocks and I would vote for them in a nanosecond.

[Silent Type]

9. We'll know more about Dems that might do well nationally as we approach Prez primaries. Think he's a good candidate, but

others may prove to be in a better position to win nationally as we approach Prez primaries.

[Mysterian]

10. Great post

Thanks for your insight. Newsom is certainly acceptable to me as a candidate.

[senseandsensibility]

11. Glad to hear it

I don't see him as polished and slick probably because of the familiarity factor. To me he seems like a typical California professional. That's how we act here.

[IronLionZion]

12. TACO has already been punishing California so not much left to lose I guess

might as well troll him on social media

[Bev54]

13. There is no perfect candidate, I agree wait until the time comes and pick the best of the bunch or if

none, the one that will do the least harm.

[dem4decades]

37. The perfect candidate is the one that can win the next election.

Frankly that's all I give a shit about right now.

[Jean Genie]

14. Thank You!

Thank you for your "Newsom feedback." I did live in California a long time ago - and loved it! But I was actually one who campaigned for Jerry Brown (A REALLY long time ago!) back when he was "Governor Moonbeam." So, I'm not sure I'm a reliable source for opinions on California politicians. I've been wrestling with the Newsom "thing," liking/not-liking him; worried about his ... well, frankly, his obvious California-ness. Oh, and his having been married to Kimberly Gilfoyle. Ugh! Well we all make mistakes, and hopefully he learned from that one!
But as you say, he appears to have undeniable strengths. And courage. And the will to fight for California and the rest of the country. So I happily sent him some money, and I will gladly support him in his fight to redistrict, and restore democracy to America.

[senseandsensibility]

34. The Kimberly Gilfoyle thing doesn't bother me at all

I remember her from back when they were together. She was actually a respected lawyer then. People change for the worse and I think that happened to her. I'm glad you're supporting Newsom's redistricting efforts.

[relayerbob]

16. It's WAY too early to be discussing 2028

We need to make it to the mid terms - hell, we need to make until New Years Day. There may not even be elections if Trump has his way. We need to be focussing on the present and fighting the ongoing civil almost-war.

I have to say, some of the responses in this thread are straight-up laughable. So much mythology, so little fact.

[senseandsensibility]

39. Sounds like maybe this thread isn't for you

then.

[GiqueCee]

18. It happens every election cycle...

... too many people render praise and condemnation based on superficial value judgements, rather than any given candidate's accomplishments in the political and administrative arena. And any candidate absolutely must have some celebrity chops to even deliver an effective campaign speech, as well as to be able to deal with hostile media.
For instance, Dr. Howard Dean was an excellent governor of Vermont, where I live. He was also an excellent candidate for President. Everyone has forgotten that it was Dean's 50-state solution that brought many democratic victories. But too many shallow minds sandbagged him because they bought into the malicious horseshit spewed by the malevolent M$M ridiculing his congratulatory yell to his dedicated campaign staff, with the derogatory label, "I had a scream" speech. NO Democratic Party leaders sprang to his defense, and thousands regurgitated the witless drivel they were spoon-fed by corporate media. I will never forgive those evil corporate fucks for that treachery. Never.
So, may I suggest that we focus on what really matters when choosing the candidate to represent us, and listen carefully to the advice and counsel of smart observers like Politics Girl, rather than some TikTok makeup maven.
Thank you for your attention too this matter.

[MayReasonRule]

19. I Agree With You On Each And Every Point You Made, Salient And To The Point!

Well said!

[speak easy]

20. Lets see: Governors Beshear, Newsom, Shapiro, and Whitmer

are potential candidates for 2028. Only one of them is effectively challenging the Administration at this time.

[MLWR]

22. I would add Pritzker (IL)

[obamanut2012]

26. Pritzker is, too

[Trailrider1951]

38. Let's not forget Gov. Tim Walz

He is dynamite on the speech trail. And, like Gov. Newsom, I didn't know much about him at first, but soon grew to like him and his spirit more and more.

[Bobstandard]

79. What is Walz waiting for?

Newsom is out there in a big way right now. He’s also using the tool that is most effective against Trump. Ridicule None of the other ‘likely to run’ prospects are doing that. In fact I’m guessing they worry too much about turning off moderates to muster the vitriol necessary to convince disaffected Dems that they’re reliable fighters.

This objection that Newsom wasn’t mean enough to right wingers on his podcast has been obviated by what he’s done since: take the fight to the President of the United States. It’s a silly argument superseded by subsequent behavior And the one about Guilfoyle is beyond ridiculous, it’s petty and mean in the sense of unkind, spiteful, and disrespectful

[Hekate]

21. What you said in your antepenultimate paragraph about a sitting duck is so, so true...

I think we can count on him and he is not easily intimidated. But I am in no hurry to "pick" a candidate now. For one thing, we don't need a sitting duck target for all of magaworld and the corporate media to attack. They will do that no matter who the candidate it. Let's keep our enemies in suspense for a while longer.

I live on the Central Coast, closer to LA than San Fran, so his purely local reputation and very early political career didn’t much come to my attention. However his decision to start marrying LGBTQ+ San Franciscans did because that made state and national news. By the time he ran for governor I was more than happy to vote for him. (And by the way I do not give a flying fig about his first wife. Everyone is entitled to one lousy first marriage)

I really love the way he is standing up to Trump

But choose a POTUS candidate now? We already have enough trouble at DU with a small group of people determined to knock off every Dem governor from the list of possibles.

I can wait.

[obamanut2012]

27. Yup, my first marriage was terrible

It's what happens when you marry someone with BPD, it sucks! My second one is a joy (including my spouse!).

[Hekate]

24. Regarding Kimberly Guilfoyle: will everyone at DU who has never been divorced please raise their hands?

That few, huh?

Now will everybody at DU who never broke up with someone who turned out to be a louse please raise your hands?

Anybody?

#crickets#

[DFW]

29. Voice in the wilderness, I guess

I have never been divorced, and I never broke up with someone who turned out to be a louse—although I haven’t broken up with anyone since 1972, and she ditched me. I was devastated at the time, but then I met my wife-to-be in 1974, and learned what a favor she had done me (no, her name wasn’t Pamela Brown).

But don’t mind me—I got used to being the odd nerd out at an early age. I also figured out at an early age, that the tears I shed between 1972 and 1974 were a sort of tuition that most of us pay sooner or later.

[Hekate]

50. I think you hit the jackpot with your wife 💕 But I was being a bit snarky because ...

…in a country where divorce is actually fairly common, I have been shocked at the number of DUers who have said things that amount to, “Oh I guess Newsom is all right, but It really counts against his judgment that he was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle “ which is just weird given how long ago the divorce was, how long he’s been remarried, and how quiet that marriage has been. Never a hint of sex scandals from Gavin — that kind of thing has all been on Kimberly, and she has shown remarkably bad taste.

[DFW]

55. My bad! I should have geen more alert! Eom

[Hekate]

64. You're not bad at all, you're the best ;)

[druidity33]

54. Shyly raising hand here...

27 years and counting. Hoping we grow real old together.

[YoshidaYui]

30. As a native born San Franciscan I have appreciated

Gavin Newsom ever since I met him years ago as Mayor of my city, I was rather impressed with him then as Now.

[Hekate]

74. TY for the first hand input, Yui

[cksmithy]

31. I, just myself, think he engaged with the "manosphere" to show, he at least tried to connect with magats.

I love what he is doing and saying. Hs words are making an impact. I think he is laying the ground ground work for another candidate. Right now, he is so hated by rw in conservative states, I don't know if 2028 is in his future. He is my governor and he has done/doing a great job.

[markpkessinger]

42. And in so doing . . .

. . . he threw an extremely vulnerable population -- i.e., trans people -- under the bus. I can't forgive him for that.

[cksmithy]

45. I am sorry about that, and stand with trans rights.

I am, also, concerned about all of us, birth control, the right to marry who we love, and democracy for all.

[markpkessinger]

83. As am I . . .

. . . but I don't think we win any one of those by scuttling any of the others.

[Hekate]

66. While you're "never forgiving " ask yourself how much you want Trump or JD as president

As for the phrase “thrown under the bus “ it got an incredible workout here from DUers who hated Obama, and I do mean they hated him. He could do no right in their eyes

[Hekate]

76. Query-- What do you think of Pete Buttegieg going on FOX and other RW channels? Also unforgivable?

Or just maybe an intelligent outreach?

[markpkessinger]

82. As a gay man I was very disappointed in Buttigieg. n/t

[Callie1979]

32. The only box I need checked is "can beat Vance" or whoever. No more pandering

Just WINNING. And if some feelings get hurt to accomplish that so be it. The nation is at stake.

[ananda]

33. I never liked Newsom all that much...

but I will support ANY Democrat who stands
up to Trump!

[Oeditpus Rex]

36. This is quite subjective, but

ever since he was mayor of SanFrancisco (at which I thought he was excellent), he's always seemed a bit ... slick to me. He's got the combed-back hair style, which makes him look like a car salesman, and nobody trusts those guys if they don't know them. I don't think he could carry any but the bluest of states, unless he gets a lot of tee vee time between now and then, especially in segments long enough, like a debate, to let people know what he's about.

[dem4decades]

40. If he becomes president he can be called Slick Gavin, like the right wing called Clinton Slick Willy.

[catchnrelease]

41. I learned my lesson in 2008

I was all in for John Edward in the early days. Oops! Ironically, being in CA, I never even got a chance to vote for him in the primary that year, he was already gone by then. (Thank goodness!)

Since then I am happy to wait until I see all of the candidates and what their stories are. I am mostly a fan of Newsom and especially how he's taking the orange blob to the woodshed at the moment. But I'll wait to see if he actually does run in '28, and what happens between now and then.

[senseandsensibility]

43. Wasn't that Edwards thing a kick in the gut?

Of course that was back in the pre trump days when things like that were the end of a candidate. Probably still would be for a Democrat.

[NoMoreRepugs]

44. The purity police have been dormant for a bit but are back strong I see.

[Hekate]

65. Funny you should mention it

They’ve formed a little club to knock off Dem governors one by one
Once I recognized it I, too, decided it should get a little attention

[Ars Longa]

47. After the Manosphere interviews I ranked him pretty low. But as of late

Last edited Tue Aug 19, 2025, 09:20 PM - Edit history (1)

I would rate him Very High up the Dem Presidential Candidates list.
I like what he is doing!
He may be our most Forefront Dem punching back right now ...

Purely anecdotal: My wife, FWIW , thinks he's too pretty, and should
grow a bit of facial hair/ beard to get a little more rugged look.
I (kinda) think she's right!!

[Intractable]

49. I look forward to a robust primary with our candidates championing our various political positions and dissatisfactions.

I was happy with Kamala as a candidate, but I would have preferred that she had been chosen by winning a primary.

[elleng]

51. Thanks for the discussion;

was thinking about asking.

Beshear, Newsom, Shapiro, Whitmer, Walz, Pritzger.

Rather pleased, but for gender 'issue.'

[Sibelius Fan]

52. Funny how tRump could exist as the leading R candidate for the 2024 election for the better part

of four years, but Ds need to wait as long as possible to pick our candidate for 2028.

How did that work out for Harris, BTW? Waiting until the last minute?

[Jersey Devil]

56. A bit early but I agree we need a fighter

If I had to make a choice right now it would be between Newsom and Chris Murphy.

[DoBW]

57. Fight fight fight

Well, now Gavin Newsom's gone waaaaaay too far ;)

#DonaldTrump #GavinNewsom

— Paulley Ticks (@tomadelsbach.bsky.social) 2025-08-18T00:51:01.245Z

[Iggo]

58. So don't commit.

You don’t have to commit. Ever. (Well, not until you’re in the voting booth.)

But the fight is now. And I’m supporting the one who’s fighting right now. (And he’s racking up a ton of bonus points for being the only one in the game so far…lol.)

[berksdem]

59. I love what Gavin is doing but

we should be focused on mid-terms at this point and time. The next presidential election (if we have one!) is light years away in the political spectrum.

[CTyankee]

61. Fortunately, he's got time to build a strong team AND a strong presence to the public.

I think as people begin to know him I think they'll like him.

Let's go with Whitmer as VP (midwest and strong woman).

[JustAnotherGen]

63. It's waaaay too early

For anyone to be thinking about 2028. I hope he stays the course and other Governors, Senators, Reps pick up the playbook.

However - 2025 is where it is at. VA and NJ are going to be resounding referendums on the magapub Party.

NJ can also add a seat or two in mid-decade re-districting if we can keep the Assembly numbers up. State Constitution changes must be noticed 3 months prior to the change.

Our Primaries are in June - so the Candidates intending to run can stay the course - but their boundaries might change a bit.

Those kinds of changes determine WHAT type/form of Government we would be electing a President to lead.

[Hekate]

67. "Thinking about " 2028 is fine-- it's the elimination derby that gets me riled...

After the DU experience w Obama from start to finish I realized that for the really pure even Jesus himself would not be good enough

[JustAnotherGen]

68. Amen

Same thing in 2020.

I'm also perfectly fine with anyone who has an inkling of running going full court press in mocking and denigrating the Regime and the magapub voters. It's effective manipulation of the media and the country's temperature.

[Buddyzbuddy]

70. Good points, all.

Total agreement from a fellow lifelong Californian.

[senseandsensibility]

73. Thanks

And again, I want to emphasize that I DO support his redistricting efforts and I really, really hope that the entire Dem party rallies around him. for being a fighter when we really need one!

[Buddyzbuddy]

75. Couldn't agree more.

[NNadir]

72. It's a little too early to make commitments. Trump won't finish his term I believe and if the US...

...is still a democracy the likely opponent will be that asshole Vance.

I'm amused by Newsom, but having an excellent sense of humor will not substitute for the ability to help the country and the world recover from what is clearly a disaster comparable only to the American Civil War.

[kimbutgar]

77. Being a S.F. native he was a good mayor and I'm respecting him more now that he is punching the orange pedo felon !

[Keepthesoulalive]

78. I was angry that he would platform a racist

I think he has grown as a candidate and a politician. I support him in what he is doing and I hope he continues to get under the chief narcissists skin. Please push him into the mental institution where he belongs.

[UTUSN]

81. Thanks for your first hand perspective. For me it's PRITZER or NEWSOM.