Gavin Newsom’s Petty War on Republicans Might Just Save Democrats

Turns out, a little pettiness and a lot of strategy is exactly what we need right now.

Accompanied by California and Texas lawmakers, Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses the push to schedule a special election to redraw California’s congressional voting districts during a news conference in Sacramento on Friday. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Earlier this year, I tore into California Governor Gavin Newsom. I was angry, I was critical, and I was absolutely irritated with some of the choices he’d made in what felt like an obvious bid to become the next Democratic nominee for president.

Most of my criticisms still stand with one glaring exception.

In that piece, I wrote:

“Now that’s not to say Newsom hasn’t done great things as governor, but clearly he hasn’t made the case to consistent Democratic voters outside his own state enough to inform us on what they are. I could tell you that Governor Andy Beshear expanded Medicaid to over 400,000 people. I could go on and on about how Gretchen Whitmer has repaired over 20,000 miles of roads. I could tell you Tim Walz signed a universal free school lunch program into law to feed every Minnesota child in schools.

I can’t tell you anything significant Gavin Newsom has done.”

Well… here I am, hat in hand. I owe some gratitude to the Governor of California.

I’m a Texas Democrat. That means I’ve spent years watching Republicans bulldoze our rights with little to no resistance. So when they kicked off their mid-decade redistricting stunt, I assumed we’d be left to fend for ourselves.

I was wrong.

Newsom didn’t just put out a stiff press release. He launched a full-blown media offensive: if Texas Republicans gerrymander Democrats out of Congress, California will gerrymander Republicans out to offset the damage.

The pearl-clutching pundits can whine that Democrats shouldn’t “stoop to their level.” I say: cry harder and kick rocks.

What impresses me is that Newsom isn’t just fighting — he’s fighting smart. His social media strategy is ruthless, nimble, and clearly built by a team that gets the digital battlefield. On X (Twitter), he’s even mocked Donald Trump by mimicking his ALL-CAPS Truth Social rants. His official press office account has blown past 100,000 followers with posts like:

“WHEN SPEAKER ‘LITTLE MAN’ JOHNSON IS STANDING IN ‘THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE,’ HE CAN THANK DONALD ‘TACO’ J. TRUMP.”

When former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned Fox News viewers that Californians would “vote against” Newsom’s redistricting plan, Newsom fired back:

“Oh no… watch out because Kevin McCarthy is really good at counting votes.”

A cutting reference to McCarthy’s humiliating 15-round slog to win the speakership in 2023 — the most contested Speaker election since the Civil War. That post alone racked up 1.2 million views.

And it’s not just social jabs. Earlier this year, when California faced mass ICE raids and National Guard deployments at Trump’s direction, Newsom’s office gave an exclusive to MeidasTouch. His Digital Rapid Response Lead bragged that the video got 500,000 views in the first 20 minutes — more than most cable news shows receive for their entire program. Between digital outlets, mainstream coverage, and social replay, millions saw the address. That is the kind of reach typically reserved for Presidents.

So while I’m not erasing my original critiques, I can recognize a shift when I see it. Gavin Newsom is fighting fire with fire. He’s adapting to the moment, assembling a digital war room that rivals presidential campaigns (likely due to some very smart hiring choices post 2024 election), and proving that Democrats can play offense — and win.

Between his social feeds, his podcast, and his quick wit, Newsom’s becoming something the Democratic Party desperately needs: a leader who isn’t afraid to throw a punch — and looks good doing it.