California’s term-limited governor Gavin Newsom is running for President. We get it. No doubt about it. He has even launched MAGA-adjacent X posts so that he can out-Trump Trump on social media (sad!)
He has made the obligatory visit to South Carolina. He has hosted the Texas state legislative Democrats who broke their legislature’s quorum to frustrate the first special session.
Since Kamala Harris isn’t running for Governor, she won’t be sucking up all the political media oxygen over the next two year, either. Newsom can jump in with both feet (and hair gel) to be the front-runner. Recent polling has him at the top of the Democratic heap, just above Buttigieg (who can’t get any love from the black community). He’s a flamboyant foil (and fool) who won’t have to run against Trump. Trump can joke about 2028 all he wants, but the path is being prepared for JD Vance to take up the MAGA mantle (although I still prefer Florida Governor Ron DeSantis). Vance is ahead, but there’s room for Newsom to grow.
The latest media boost for Newsom’s not-so-subtle narcissistic blitz for Election 2028? The Gerrymandering Wars, started by Texas, are now spreading throughout the country. Newsom says that Texas is cheating, rigging the system, and attacking the nation’s democracy by expanding its Republican delegation by five seats. He is going to fight fire with fire (when he should be fighting the fires devouring the state of California).
On August 14th, 2025, Newsom hosted a press conference in Downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by the who’s-who of the Democrat Zoo, announcing his initiative to redistrict California. He will push to carve out five Republican Congressional seats to counter the “damage” done by the Texas State legislature. The press conference was a dud, and Trump’s enforcement efforts stole the show. ICE agents outside the conference started rounding up illegal aliens. Mayor Karen Bass went total Karen, launched into another shameful meltdown, decrying law enforcement for doing the job that she should have done. The small venue was a petty affair. Junior US Senator Adam Schiff added only a two-cent tirade, calling out Trump’s supposed threats to our nation, government, and way of life (all while he's under investigation for mortgage fraud).
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Not so much promotion of an initiative, Newsom was hosting a campaign stop, masquerading as a measure to “save” America from Republican power plays. All of this is by the book for Newsom, who has never shied away from putting his vain ambitions ahead of the well-being of California residents. And it was corrupt, too! As of this writing, Newsom and company are under investigation for campaign violations connected to that press conference. Not a good look, Guv Hair Gel!
Some of my California conservative colleagues are worrying, though. Newsom has won every one of his elections, starting with his bid for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He has survived adultery scandals, corruption charges, rampant incompetence, and five recall attempts, including one that successfully made it to the ballot in 2021. California conservatives, and common-sense Republicans across the country, need to relax and recognize the major headwinds facing Newsom’s gerrymandering crusade. If he wants an initiative on the ballot for the first Tuesday of November, 2025, the legislature has to pass the proposal by August 22. The legislature reconvenes on August 18 for their final stretch. For good measure, if the Democratic supermajority rushes the Newsom-mandering through, most of the Democrats’ other (evil) legislative priorities will fall or fail this term. (There’s a silver lining to everything!) Republicans, though a shrinking minority in the state legislature, are planning more tricks and tactics to stall this bill, asking questions and offering commentary to drag out the final vote.
Presuming the Democratic legislature does pass the initiative, they will likely make major mistakes in the proposed map and language of the initiative. Such rush jobs often invite a number of lawsuits, which will slow, frustrate, or throw out the initiative entirely. Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) has listed the legal and constitutional problems with Newsom’s power grab, not the least of which includes the voter-affirmed mandate that the voters themselves must vote to allow for a new map mid-decade first, then the Independent Commission can draw the map.
But let’s assume that the legislature passes the initiative, gets it on the ballot. Two-thirds of California voters have signaled their opposition. The prohibitive price tag is bothering people, with the state facing billion-dollar deficits already. The left-wing League of Women Voters has also announced its opposition. Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy is launching a challenge campaign to compel voters to reject this initiative. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to the campaign trail, urging California voters to terminate the Newsom-mander. The state and national GOP will flood California with millions to defeat this initiative, too.
California voters may be foolish enough to keep electing Democratic politicians, but they have been wise enough to support common-sense initiatives that restore stiff penalties for crime, maintain the ban on affirmative action in hiring and college acceptance practices, and they have rejected statewide bonds and minimum wage hikes.
What’s worse, Newsom’s brazen posturing is motivating other red states to redistrict their Congressional seats. Former CNN pundit Chris Cillizza has acknowledged that no matter how far the Democrats wage the gerrymander war, the Republicans can fight back harder and win. Pundits left and right have shared that this political meandering could sink Newsom’s career.
Things are not looking good for Dollar Store Patrick Bateman. He can take an ax to California’s legislative norms and go psycho on the whole districting process, all to give himself the status of taking the fight to Orange Man Bad. But by all metrics, his effort will blow up in his face, and at have little to no impact on the districts for the 2026 Congressional elections. If voters remain bitter about the Newsom-mandering scheme, it could pave the way for a Republican resurgence in California for 2026!
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