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California progressives think Gov. Gavin Newsome With speculation growing that he will run for president in 2028, courting conservatives on his podcast has been a “tough thing.”
One progressive in the state said that while Newsom has made some policy decisions that unsettle the left, the more concerning issue is the governor’s “political choices.”
“The bigger issue is the political choices, like interviewing Kirk, Bannon and (Ben) Shapiro,” Elizabeth Ashford saysa communications consultant in California. Ashford served as chief of staff to Kamala Harris when she was California’s attorney general.
“The television time the current governor is giving these people is legal by any design,” she said. “It’s a difficult choice for progressives to make.”
As California Gov. Gavin Newsom tries to cast himself as a centrist, distancing himself from the typical far-left California progressives, he faces an uphill battle trying to balance representing progressives and centrists. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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On the Jan. 15 episode of the “This is Gavin Newsom” podcast, Newsom agrees with Daily Telegraph founder Ben Shapiro said transgender issues are one of the toughest issues for Democrats.
Newsom said in a March 2025 interview with Charlie Kirk that biological males in women’s sports are a fairness issue, calling it “Very unfair“.
Ashford was one of the few progressives in California who spoke with The Hill about Newsom’s potential presidential campaign.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro sat down to speak in a podcast conversation. (“This is Gavin Newsom”)
“In some ways, Newsom is caught in a bind because he has to carry the baggage of being perceived as too leftist in California, but he doesn’t fully understand the flip side of full support from voters,” one Democratic strategist told The Hill.
“He is beloved by the MSNBC Wine Mom crowd for his spoofs of Trump, but when the real primaries kick into high gear, primary voters will quickly learn about his record and policies that have disappointed so many people and groups. california,” the strategist added.
Newsom shows off Trump’s ‘knee’, admits White House discord is ‘extremely unsightly’
“The Hill” reported that “Newsom has frustrated and sometimes angered some progressives in his country on issues such as workers’ rights and support for comprehensive housing deregulation.”
California progressives viewed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s overtures to conservatives on his podcast as a “tough move” as he runs for the 2028 presidency. (Samuel Colum/Getty Images; Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Ashford said the backlash is typical for the governor’s attempts to pass laws, as progressives across the state are concerned about Newsom’s policies.
“Of course, progressives are irritated by some of his policy choices, like cutting environmental reviews for housing construction and raising penalties for smash-and-grabs. But that’s just normal behavior for a governor,” Ashford said. “You’re never going to make everyone happy with the law — and you shouldn’t.”
Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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