Copyright The Boston Globe
“It shows that he can get stuff done,” said the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Christale Spain, who hosted Newsom on a swing through her state in July. She added, “Democrats want somebody to fight back. He’s pushing back and fighting back. That is what is helping him break through.” The election has now freed Newsom, whose term as governor ends in January 2027, to turn his attention to elevating his presence on the national stage, presenting himself as a leader who scored a high-profile electoral win for Democrats at a bleak moment for the party. He is planning to travel the country campaigning on behalf of Democratic congressional candidates. He has a forthcoming memoir to promote. And aides said he is likely to soon pivot to the issue of climate change and cast himself as a climate champion, drawing a contrast with Trump and his supporters. The California results capped an evening of coast-to-coast victories by Democrats, including contests for mayor of New York, governor of Virginia, and governor of New Jersey. The outcome in California was never preordained. Newsom took a political risk: He was essentially asking voters to overturn, albeit temporarily, a measure they had passed 15 years ago requiring a nonpartisan commission to draw congressional district lines. He faced opposition from governmental reform groups and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former governor who had championed that initiative that created the commission. By the end, the opposition had walked off the field, and Newsom’s win was so decisive that the race was called as soon as polls closed. Newsom was in the carriage house of the governor’s mansion at that moment, watching returns with about two dozen friends and aides. A big cheer erupted as soon as CNN called the race in his favor, one of his aides said. Then Newsom headed for the California Democratic Party headquarters, where he addressed news cameras with a somber tone that lacked the typical election night celebrations. Standing between an American flag and a California flag, Newsom cast the result as a repudiation of Trump and a victory for Democrats in California and across the nation. “What a night for the Democratic Party — a party that is in its ascendancy, a party that’s on its toes, no longer on its heels,” the governor said. The result marks a decided turn in Newsom’s fortunes. Just 18 months ago, he seemed in danger of being overshadowed by another California Democrat and sometimes-rival, Kamala Harris, the former vice president who had become the Democratic candidate for president after Joe Biden dropped out of the race. He was being disparaged by many leaders on the left for using his podcast to embrace and interview conservative supporters of Trump, including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon. He struck an initially conciliatory stance toward Trump, again roiling many in his party, going to the airport in Los Angeles to warmly greet the president on the tarmac when he flew there this year to inspect the damage after devastating wildfires. But Newsom began to methodically reposition himself this summer, after Trump took control of California’s National Guard and sent troops into Los Angeles. He started using social media to mimic and mock the president, in the process drawing approval from the left. His championing of Proposition 50 was the highest-profile evidence of his shift. “Six months ago, the strategy was to engage with MAGA leaders like Steve Bannon,” said Eric Jaye, a Democratic consultant in San Francisco who was an adviser to Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco. “With the Proposition 50 victory, Newsom has made himself Donald Trump’s chief — and most successful — antagonist, and that is exactly what Democratic primary voters are looking for nationally.” The road ahead is far from easy if he seeks the presidency. Even his allies say he carries significant political baggage. He’s a product of arguably the most liberal state in the country and a promoter of policies that are seen as out of touch with many voters. He has a personal style that, at least some of his critics argue, is slick and off-putting. And the backlash he generated following one incident during the pandemic has never fully subsided. Newsom attended a birthday dinner for a lobbyist-friend at The French Laundry, one of the most expensive restaurants in the world, and was photographed not wearing a mask at a moment when he was telling Californians not to gather with their families for Thanksgiving. This is a difficult time for California — struggling with the aftermath of the fires, a housing crisis, and what many Republicans denounce as out-of-control spending — all of which Newsom’s opponents would seek to have him own in any presidential campaign. And even though voters approved Newsom’s redistricting measure, it could prove for naught if Republicans manage to hold on to the House, dimming the relevance of the victory Tuesday. “While it’s a very important win for him politically, this is just the first step,” said Brian Brokaw, a Democratic strategist who advises Newsom. “Doing what he can to make sure that Democrats win those seats and take back the majority in the midterms will be just as important. Without that, Proposition 50 will have been just a blip along the way.”
