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Gavin Newsom at a press conference about the Texas GOP redistricting plan, in Sacramento on Aug. 8, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters *Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering statewide issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for* [*WeeklyMatters*](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/weeklymatters) *for a Saturday morning digest of the latest news and commentary from the Golden State.* This story is part of **California Voices,** a commentary forum aiming to broaden our understanding of the state and spotlight Californians directly impacted by policy or its absence. Learn more [here](https://calmatters.org/category/commentary/). Gov. Gavin Newsom has been waging a media war against President Donald Trump — particularly with uber-snarky social media posts — while [promoting a ballot measure](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/) aimed at increasing Democrats’ congressional seats, portraying it as a way to blunt Trump’s lust for power. Newsom clearly seeks recognition as Trump’s most effective political foe, political pundits of all flavors believe, thus positioning himself as the Democratic Party’s leading presidential hopeful in 2028. Is it working? In purely political terms, yes. In polling and other tests of political sentiment, Newsom appears to have become the unofficial frontrunner, three years before voters will be electing the next president. “California Gov. Gavin Newsom has seized attention like no other Democrat in President Donald Trump’s second term as he works to position himself as a de facto head of the resistance in a leaderless party,” a [recent Washington Post article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/07/newsom-trump-social-media/) declared. “Influencers on both the left and the right have discussed Newsom online more than any other potential 2028 presidential contender since Trump’s inauguration … The attention has been driven by his response to immigration raids in Los Angeles, his efforts to counter a Republican redistricting push and, most recently, his mocking impersonations of Trump’s social media style.” Alex Hoffman, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser, told the Post: “Democrats are so desperate for leadership right now that they’ll take anything they can get. Gavin is filling a void.” This week, Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini published a simulated Democratic primary, [placing Newsom in first place in a seven-candidate field](https://www.patrickruffini.com/p/the-intersections-way-too-early-2028) with “a 29.7% chance of winning across 10,000 simulations.” He’s followed by progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a 19.5% chance, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 13.4%, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at 12.2%, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at 11.3%, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker at 9.0%, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at 5.1%. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was not included in the list. Ruffini cites Newsom’s “best polling at the moment, the second-best fundraising, and ideological positioning in the middle of the party” as his strongest attributes. ## READ NEXT [](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/gavin-newsom-calendars-transparency/) [Politics](https://calmatters.org/category/politics/) ### [How focused is Gavin Newsom on his job? His official schedule remains a mystery](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/gavin-newsom-calendars-transparency/) by [Alexei Koseff](https://calmatters.org/author/alexei-koseff/) If, indeed, Newsom is [laying the groundwork for a 2028 White House bid](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/07/newsom-south-carolina-presidential-run/), he would have to maintain momentum while continuing to govern the state for the next 16 months and move beyond just portraying Trump as the devil incarnate. In the meantime, his constituents will feel the impact of Newsom’s feud with Trump. For one thing, those who lost homes and loved ones in the deadly [firestorms that swept through Los Angeles](https://calmatters.org/newsletter/los-angeles-fires/) neighborhoods this year will probably never see a dime of the [\$40 billion in federal relief funds Newsom and other officials have sought.](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/04/trump-newsom-california-wildfires/) Newsom also faces blowback from the universe of right-leaning podcasts, YouTube channels and social media postings. Video clips from some less savory chapters of Newsom’s personal life and political career are already surfacing, such as [his infamously unmasked appearance at a birthday party](https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Newsom-attended-French-Laundry-party-with-more-15725393.php) during the COVID-19 pandemic, his [affair with the wife of a close friend](https://www.sfexaminer.com/national-news/mayor-admits-affair-with-staffer-apologizes/article_3631a289-b021-5c98-8fd8-f4ae5d06cdb5.html) while mayor of San Francisco and revelations about [his drinking habits](https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article209176644.html). One clip shows Newsom in 2007 [criticizing and walking away from a reporter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KWUfwpq1s) who asked him about the drinking. It’s an example of Newsom’s thin skin, which could be a liability if and when he becomes a presidential candidate. Finally, Newsom’s record as governor will be an issue, with critics citing California’s many unresolved issues, such as homelessness, housing shortages, cost of living and poverty. Just this week, the Census Bureau revealed that when the state’s high living costs are factored in, [California continues to have the nation’s highest poverty rate](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2025/demo/p60-287.html) at 17.7%, tied with Louisiana. Newsom will learn that being an early frontrunner pins a target on his back. ## READ NEXT [](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/california-gop-proposition-50-campaign/) [Politics](https://calmatters.org/category/politics/) ### [Newsom or not? California GOP split on centering him in redistricting campaign](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/california-gop-proposition-50-campaign/) September 8, 2025 September 9, 2025 [](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/newsom-crime-chp-deployment/) [Politics](https://calmatters.org/category/politics/) ### [Newsom deploys ‘crime suppression’ teams statewide while mocking Trump’s threats](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/newsom-crime-chp-deployment/) August 28, 2025 August 28, 2025 Read more from CalMatters [ Text Get breaking news on your phone.](https://joinsubtext.com/calmatters) [ Download Keep up with the latest via our app.](https://urlgeni.us/calmatters-app) [ Sign up Receive free updates in your inbox.](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/) ## You care about your community. That’s why you and millions of others use CalMatters to track what’s happening, vote with confidence, and demand better of government. Support free and independent news for California today. **The first \$5,000 in gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to a generous donor.** Start a monthly sustaining gift to get a CalMatters tote.  **********Please give now.********** [DOUBLE YOUR DONATION](https://giving.classy.org/campaign/791880/donate?c_src=website&c_src2=footercta) Tagged: [California Elections](https://calmatters.org/tag/california-elections/), [Commentary](https://calmatters.org/tag/commentary/), [Donald Trump](https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/), [Gavin Newsom](https://calmatters.org/tag/gavin-newsom/), [wildfires](https://calmatters.org/tag/wildfires/) [](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/) ## [Dan WaltersOpinion Columnist](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/) [dan@calmatters.org](mailto:dan@calmatters.org) Dan Walters is one of most decorated and widely syndicated columnists in California history, authoring a column four times a week that offers his view and analysis of the state’s political, economic,... [More by Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/) ###### Republish ### Gavin Newsom’s snark attacks on Trump boost his national standing — at least for now We love that you want to share our stories with your readers. Hundreds of publications republish our work on a regular basis. All of the articles at CalMatters are available to republish for free, under the following conditions: - - **Give prominent credit to our journalists:** Credit our authors at the top of the article and any other byline areas of your publication. In the byline, we prefer “By Author Name, CalMatters.” If you’re republishing guest commentary ([example](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/11/reform-california-proportional-representative-democracy/)) from CalMatters, in the byline, use “By Author Name, Special for CalMatters.” - - **Credit CalMatters at the top of the story:** At the top of the story’s text, include this copy: “This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/) for their newsletters.” If you are republishing [commentary](https://calmatters.org/category/commentary/), include this copy instead: “This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/). 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Contact us at [republish@calmatters.org](mailto:republish@calmatters.org). \<!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ --\> \<h1\>Gavin Newsom\&\#8217;s snark attacks on Trump boost his national standing — at least for now\</h1\> \<p\>By \<a href="https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/" title="Posts by Dan Walters" class="author url fn" rel="author"\>Dan Walters\</a\>, CalMatters\</p\> \<figure\> \<img width="1200" height="800" src="https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C800\&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="A person wearing a navy blue suit, white dress shirt, and dark tie speaks passionately at a press conference, gesturing forward with one hand. The background features surfboard-shaped artwork in muted colors and part of a white wall with decorative molding." decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?w=2000\&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=300%2C200\&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=768%2C512\&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025\&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=18%2C12\&amp;ssl=1 18w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=1200%2C800\&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=780%2C520\&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?resize=400%2C267\&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/080825-Texas-Democrats-Presser-FG-CM-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C800\&amp;ssl=1\&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /\> \<figcaption\>Gov. Gavin Newsom at a press conference about the Texas GOP redistricting plan, in Sacramento on Aug. 8, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters\</figcaption\> \</figure\> \<p\>This commentary was originally published by \<a href="https://calmatters.org/"\>CalMatters\</a\>. \<a href="https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/"\>Sign up\</a\> for their newsletters.\</p\> \<p\>Gov. Gavin Newsom has been waging a media war against President Donald Trump — particularly with uber-snarky social media posts — while \<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/"\>promoting a ballot measure\</a\> aimed at increasing Democrats’ congressional seats, portraying it as a way to blunt Trump’s lust for power.\</p\> \<p\>Newsom clearly seeks recognition as Trump’s most effective political foe, political pundits of all flavors believe, thus positioning himself as the Democratic Party’s leading presidential hopeful in 2028.\</p\> \<p\>Is it working? In purely political terms, yes. In polling and other tests of political sentiment, Newsom appears to have become the unofficial frontrunner, three years before voters will be electing the next president.\</p\> \<p\>“California Gov. Gavin Newsom has seized attention like no other Democrat in President Donald Trump’s second term as he works to position himself as a de facto head of the resistance in a leaderless party,” a \<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/07/newsom-trump-social-media/"\>recent Washington Post article\</a\> declared.\</p\> \<p\>“Influencers on both the left and the right have discussed Newsom online more than any other potential 2028 presidential contender since Trump’s inauguration ... The attention has been driven by his response to immigration raids in Los Angeles, his efforts to counter a Republican redistricting push and, most recently, his mocking impersonations of Trump’s social media style."\</p\> \<p\>Alex Hoffman, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser, told the Post: “Democrats are so desperate for leadership right now that they’ll take anything they can get. Gavin is filling a void.”\</p\> \<p\>This week, Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini published a simulated Democratic primary, \<a href="https://www.patrickruffini.com/p/the-intersections-way-too-early-2028"\>placing Newsom in first place in a seven-candidate field\</a\> with “a 29.7% chance of winning across 10,000 simulations.” He's followed by progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a 19.5% chance, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 13.4%, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at 12.2%, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at 11.3%, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker at 9.0%, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at 5.1%. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was not included in the list. \</p\> \<p\>Ruffini cites Newsom’s “best polling at the moment, the second-best fundraising, and ideological positioning in the middle of the party” as his strongest attributes.\</p\> \<p\>If, indeed, Newsom is \<a href="https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/07/newsom-south-carolina-presidential-run/"\>laying the groundwork for a 2028 White House bid\</a\>, he would have to maintain momentum while continuing to govern the state for the next 16 months and move beyond just portraying Trump as the devil incarnate.\</p\> \<p\>In the meantime, his constituents will feel the impact of Newsom’s feud with Trump. For one thing, those who lost homes and loved ones in the deadly \<a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletter/los-angeles-fires/"\>firestorms that swept through Los Angeles\</a\> neighborhoods this year will probably never see a dime of the \<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/04/trump-newsom-california-wildfires/"\>\$40 billion in federal relief funds Newsom and other officials have sought.\</a\>\</p\> \<p\>Newsom also faces blowback from the universe of right-leaning podcasts, YouTube channels and social media postings. Video clips from some less savory chapters of Newsom’s personal life and political career are already surfacing, such as \<a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Newsom-attended-French-Laundry-party-with-more-15725393.php"\>his infamously unmasked appearance at a birthday party\</a\> during the COVID-19 pandemic, his \<a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/national-news/mayor-admits-affair-with-staffer-apologizes/article\_3631a289-b021-5c98-8fd8-f4ae5d06cdb5.html"\>affair with the wife of a close friend\</a\> while mayor of San Francisco and revelations about \<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article209176644.html"\>his drinking habits\</a\>.\</p\> \<p\>One clip shows Newsom in 2007 \<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KWUfwpq1s"\>criticizing and walking away from a reporter\</a\> who asked him about the drinking. It’s an example of Newsom’s thin skin, which could be a liability if and when he becomes a presidential candidate. \</p\> \<p\>Finally, Newsom’s record as governor will be an issue, with critics citing California’s many unresolved issues, such as homelessness, housing shortages, cost of living and poverty. Just this week, the Census Bureau revealed that when the state's high living costs are factored in, \<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2025/demo/p60-287.html"\>California continues to have the nation’s highest poverty rate\</a\> at 17.7%, tied with Louisiana.\</p\> \<p\>Newsom will learn that being an early frontrunner pins a target on his back.\</p\> \<p\>This article was \<a href="https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/09/gavin-newsom-national-standing-snark/"\>originally published on CalMatters\</a\> and was republished under the \<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"\>Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\</a\> license.\</p\> Copy HTML [](https://calmatters.org/) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/calmatters.org) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/calmatters/) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/calmatters/) - [X](https://x.com/CalMatters) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@calmatters) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/calmatters/) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/calmatters) ## About - [Overview](https://calmatters.org/about/) - [Impact](https://calmatters.org/about/impact/) - [Funding](https://calmatters.org/about/funding/) - [News and Awards](https://calmatters.org/about/news-and-awards/) - [Policies](https://calmatters.org/about/policies-and-standards/) - [Programs](https://calmatters.org/about/programs/) - [Sponsorships](https://calmatters.org/about/advertise/) - [Our Team](https://calmatters.org/about/team/) - [Jobs](https://calmatters.org/about/jobs/) - [Contact Us](https://calmatters.org/about/contact-us/) ## Topics - [Politics](https://calmatters.org/category/politics/) - [Justice](https://calmatters.org/category/justice/) - [Economy](https://calmatters.org/category/economy/) - [Education](https://calmatters.org/category/education/) - [Environment](https://calmatters.org/category/environment/) - [Housing](https://calmatters.org/category/housing/) - [Health](https://calmatters.org/category/health/) - [Commentary](https://calmatters.org/category/commentary/) - [Inequality](https://calmatters.org/category/california-divide/) ## More - [Donate](https://give.calmatters.org/campaign/564470/donate?c_src=website&c_src2=footer) - [Manage donation](https://calmatters.org/about/contact-us/#manage-your-donation) - [Newsletters](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/) - [CalMatters en Español](https://calmatters.org/category/calmatters-en-espanol/) - [Inside the Newsroom](https://calmatters.org/category/inside-the-newsroom/) - [Digital Democracy](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/) ## General Inquiries [info@calmatters.org](mailto:info@calmatters.org) ## Membership Inquiries [membership@calmatters.org](mailto:membership@calmatters.org) 1. 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 Gov. Gavin Newsom at a press conference about the Texas GOP redistricting plan, in Sacramento on Aug. 8, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters Gov. Gavin Newsom has been waging a media war against President Donald Trump — particularly with uber-snarky social media posts — while [promoting a ballot measure](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/) aimed at increasing Democrats’ congressional seats, portraying it as a way to blunt Trump’s lust for power. Newsom clearly seeks recognition as Trump’s most effective political foe, political pundits of all flavors believe, thus positioning himself as the Democratic Party’s leading presidential hopeful in 2028. Is it working? In purely political terms, yes. In polling and other tests of political sentiment, Newsom appears to have become the unofficial frontrunner, three years before voters will be electing the next president. “California Gov. Gavin Newsom has seized attention like no other Democrat in President Donald Trump’s second term as he works to position himself as a de facto head of the resistance in a leaderless party,” a [recent Washington Post article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/07/newsom-trump-social-media/) declared. “Influencers on both the left and the right have discussed Newsom online more than any other potential 2028 presidential contender since Trump’s inauguration … The attention has been driven by his response to immigration raids in Los Angeles, his efforts to counter a Republican redistricting push and, most recently, his mocking impersonations of Trump’s social media style.” Alex Hoffman, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser, told the Post: “Democrats are so desperate for leadership right now that they’ll take anything they can get. Gavin is filling a void.” This week, Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini published a simulated Democratic primary, [placing Newsom in first place in a seven-candidate field](https://www.patrickruffini.com/p/the-intersections-way-too-early-2028) with “a 29.7% chance of winning across 10,000 simulations.” He’s followed by progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a 19.5% chance, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 13.4%, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at 12.2%, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at 11.3%, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker at 9.0%, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at 5.1%. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was not included in the list. Ruffini cites Newsom’s “best polling at the moment, the second-best fundraising, and ideological positioning in the middle of the party” as his strongest attributes. ## READ NEXT If, indeed, Newsom is [laying the groundwork for a 2028 White House bid](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/07/newsom-south-carolina-presidential-run/), he would have to maintain momentum while continuing to govern the state for the next 16 months and move beyond just portraying Trump as the devil incarnate. In the meantime, his constituents will feel the impact of Newsom’s feud with Trump. For one thing, those who lost homes and loved ones in the deadly [firestorms that swept through Los Angeles](https://calmatters.org/newsletter/los-angeles-fires/) neighborhoods this year will probably never see a dime of the [\$40 billion in federal relief funds Newsom and other officials have sought.](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/04/trump-newsom-california-wildfires/) Newsom also faces blowback from the universe of right-leaning podcasts, YouTube channels and social media postings. Video clips from some less savory chapters of Newsom’s personal life and political career are already surfacing, such as [his infamously unmasked appearance at a birthday party](https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Newsom-attended-French-Laundry-party-with-more-15725393.php) during the COVID-19 pandemic, his [affair with the wife of a close friend](https://www.sfexaminer.com/national-news/mayor-admits-affair-with-staffer-apologizes/article_3631a289-b021-5c98-8fd8-f4ae5d06cdb5.html) while mayor of San Francisco and revelations about [his drinking habits](https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article209176644.html). One clip shows Newsom in 2007 [criticizing and walking away from a reporter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KWUfwpq1s) who asked him about the drinking. It’s an example of Newsom’s thin skin, which could be a liability if and when he becomes a presidential candidate. Finally, Newsom’s record as governor will be an issue, with critics citing California’s many unresolved issues, such as homelessness, housing shortages, cost of living and poverty. Just this week, the Census Bureau revealed that when the state’s high living costs are factored in, [California continues to have the nation’s highest poverty rate](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2025/demo/p60-287.html) at 17.7%, tied with Louisiana. Newsom will learn that being an early frontrunner pins a target on his back. ## READ NEXT [](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/) Dan Walters is one of most decorated and widely syndicated columnists in California history, authoring a column four times a week that offers his view and analysis of the state’s political, economic,... [More by Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/)