This podcast discusses Governor Gavin Newsom's national positioning and potential presidential run. It explores his political career, his feuds with Republicans and Democrats, and his motivations as a national democratic spokesperson.
Gavin Newsom is raising his national profile by engaging in high-profile clashes with Republican governors, positioning himself as a Democratic spokesperson.
Newsom is championing progressive causes in California, especially on abortion rights and climate change, positioning himself as a progressive leader on the national stage.
Deep dives
Newsom's National Presence and Speculations
California Governor Gavin Newsom is attracting national attention by positioning himself on the national stage. While running for re-election in California, Newsom has been actively engaging with prominent Republican governors like Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas. Newsom has taken aim at their policies, criticizing DeSantis' stance on abortion rights and Abbott's approach to guns. By engaging in these high-profile clashes, Newsom is raising his profile and establishing himself as a national Democratic spokesperson. There is speculation about whether Newsom is testing the waters for a presidential run in 2024, but it is uncertain if he is actually considering it.
The Lack of Attention on the Governor's Race
Although Governor Gavin Newsom is running for re-election in California, the race has not gained much attention. This is partly due to the recall election that took place last year, which Newsom won convincingly. The lack of a competitive race has allowed Newsom to focus on national issues and engage in high-profile clashes with Republican governors like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott. While there is a legitimate Republican candidate, Brian Dolly, running against Newsom, the challenges of running as a Republican in California and Dolly's positions on certain issues make his chances of success difficult. As a result, Newsom's attention has shifted beyond the state to the national stage.
Newsom's Positions on Abortion and Climate Change
Governor Gavin Newsom has been championing progressive causes in California, particularly on abortion rights and climate change. He has supported Proposition 1, which aims to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution. Newsom has also signed legislation to make abortion more accessible and increase funding for it. On climate change, Newsom has built on previous measures to transition California to renewable energies and ultimately ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. These stances align Newsom with the left side of the Democratic Party and showcase California as a leader in liberal governance. By pushing forward these initiatives and contrasting them with the more conservative approaches of Republican governors like Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis, Newsom is positioning himself as a progressive leader on the national stage.
It’s hard to avoid Gov. Gavin Newsom these days, even if you don’t live in California. He frequently attacks other governors, lobs daggers at members of his own Democratic Party, and expounds on the “California way” when talking about everything from abortion access to combating climate change and more. All this action on the national stage has people asking, is Newsom low-key testing the waters for a presidential run in 2024? And if not, what’s his endgame? Read the full transcript here.