Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a rumored 2028 presidential contender, implored fellow Democrats to be “ruthless” against President Donald Trump’s administration.Newsom’s comments came on Tuesday at the Center for American Progress’s Ideas Conference in Washington, D.C., where he reflected on his successful gamble to counter the GOP’s redistricting efforts in Texas with the passage of Proposition 50 in California.“We could have decided to write an op-ed, we could have decided, you know, to hold hands, have a candlelight vigil, win the argument,” Newsom said as he talked about Prop 50, which netted five Democratic-leaning seats in the Golden State.
“These guys are ruthless on the other side, Trump’s not screwing around, and nor can we,” said Newsom. “Yeah, it’s uncomfortable fighting fire with fire. Yes, we all want the better angels. Yes, we want the Sorkin sound and music, little West Wing. I do, but we’ll lose our country. We will lose our country.”
Since Trump won the 2024 election, Democrats have struggled to counter the national image among Americans that they are too weak and too woke. Gambits such as Newsom’s push to put California into mid-decade redistricting have shown that some party members are willing to challenge Trump aggressively. Newsom, a frequent foe of the president, has also used social media to mock Trump’s persona.
