In South Carolina, Newsom confronts his California problem

[GJGCA]

Source: Politico

Gavin Newsom packed church pews and community centers and cafes as he sprinted across this early primary state, the whooping crowds a sign of the opening the California governor may have in the Democratic presidential contest here.

But for all the fanfare, Newsom’s visit laid bare, too, the early indications of what could become a drag on his likely campaign — a sense among some Democrats in South Carolina that California’s liberal reputation may hobble him.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/10/gavin-newsom-confronts-his-california-problem-00446212

[BoRaGard]

1. "Abandon all hope." - MediaWankers

[senseandsensibility]

2. These narratives are set up by the corporate media against anyone

in CA and accepted as gospel by inside the beltway elite journalists. They did it to Kamala too. But the truth is, politicians from CA have valuable experience running an enormous, diverse state with many competing interests and a mammoth economy. Newsom better hit this trope head on if he is going to have a chance.

[Celerity]

4. I have seen many anti-Newsom posts here on DU that said his being from California (my birth state) cripples his national

chances as well, so it is not just a mainstream media-pushed narrative.

I disagree with that narrative, just to be clear, btw.

[senseandsensibility]

5. Yes, it has been pushed for a long time

so even some on our side have bought into it. It is very rarely, if ever, challenged. So Newsom doesn't have a chance unless he directly confronts it.

[democratsruletheday]

41. I don't know WTF to think any more....

I used to think he had a 'California' problem but I think with the right running mate, Like maybe Pritzker he could overcome it. Can't BELIEVE we have to actually entertain the asinine notion that he's "too pretty" or 'too liberal' or 'too california' when the biggest piece of pig shit to ever walk the face of the earth is now in his 2nd term as POTUS. Best thing Newsom could do is slum it for awhile and show he's a "man of the people''. Doesn't have to dumb himself down for ME ( I voted for Hillary and Kamala so I preferred qualified, smart people for POTUS) But the fact remains that millions of voting sheep in this country want their Prez to have warts and be flawed to a certain extent. It's clownish and I disagree with the notion but believe it to be true. Just like I believe those same sheeple won't vote for a woman. They've proven that twice now. My wife hates when I point it out but I can't help the fact it's true. Hillary and Kamala were OVER qualified compared to Shitler but again...folks racism, misogyny and overall stupidity is on full display every 4 years.

[progressoid]

8. Politicians from CA may have valuable experience

but that ain't what wins elections.

Our next candidate needs to realize that his/her greatest opponent is corporate media; most of which is owned by the right wing who have been villainizing CA for decades.

[Jose Garcia]

11. Harris dropped out of the 2020 primaries before the first vote was cast

[Ferrets are Cool]

3. Fuck Politico

[W_HAMILTON]

6. Like Obama's Illinois's liberal reputation hobbled him? Or Hillary's New York's liberal reputation hobbled her?

Fact of the matter is that the South Carolina Democratic primary electorate is largely made up of black voters and they can tell the difference between someone that has a proven record on the issues they care most about vs those that are just temporarily pretending to care to get their votes.

I don't know enough about Newsom to know what his bona fides are when it comes to the black community, but his attempt to ingratiate himself to South Carolina voters now rather than waiting till primary season starts in full gear is the smart thing to do if he wants to win there.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Neither were governors of their state.

Newsom won’t be the nominee.

Wait 18 mos, and see who declares after the primaries.

If Murphy and Beshear declare, Newsom’s donations will dry up, and he won’t even make it to New Hampshire.

[W_HAMILTON]

12. And?

Whether someone is a governor or a senator won't matter one bit to South Carolina Democrats, I can assure you that.

And not that I'm the South Carolina Democratic presidential nominee whisperer, but I can almost guarantee that Murphy won't win the state and Beshear only would if he gets a crazy boost during the early stages of the primary, and I don't see that happening given that there are sure to be a large number of candidates and it will be hard for someone like him to make much headway that early on.

[Fiendish Thingy]

16. And?

Answer your own question.

Neither Obama nor Hillary were smeared with anything regarding specific problems in their home states, but it’s guaranteed that Newsom will be.

I guess we will see if he survives to the primaries - I’m sure the republicans would love to run against him in the general.

P.S. who do you think Clyburn will end up endorsing?

[W_HAMILTON]

20. I asked you the question because you seemed to not understand the politics in South Carolina by the point you made.

Once again, South Carolina Democrats will not care one bit about whether a candidate is a governor, senator, or none of the above.

They also will not buy into the manufactured media narratives that others fall prey to; remember how Biden's campaign was supposed to be dead in the water? Yeah.

South Carolina Democrats will have the backs of those that had their backs. Who that inevitably is will be determined by who all runs, but developing relationships now with South Carolina voters is a smart thing to do for anyone that wants to be our next Democratic nominee.

[Fiendish Thingy]

23. The SC voters may care once the negative ads start airing against Newsom

Who do you think Clyburn will endorse?

[Norrrm]

28. Who do you think Donald's puppy dog Lindsey Graham will endorse?

[Fiendish Thingy]

30. I think you're confused

I was referring to Jim Clyburn, SC Dem rep who endorsed Biden in 2020, and whose endorsement was likely key in Biden winning SC and the nomination.

For 2028, I asked the OP who they thought the influential Clyburn would endorse in those primaries.

Not sure what Graham has to do with any of that.

[Norrrm]

31. I'm pretty sure Lindsey will speak his mind, no matter how he is not involved.

[Fiendish Thingy]

33. So, do you think Graham will endorse Newsom?

This is getting silly.

[Norrrm]

34. More like who he unendorses the most. It will most likely be adoring of Trump.

[W_HAMILTON]

36. They won't care. I already told you, they aren't as easily duped as certain other voters.

Hence why they are probably our strongest Democratic voting bloc to begin with. They know bullshit when they see it. I wish some others on the left could sus out bullshit as well as they do...

And I have no clue who Clyburn will endorse since there will most likely be literally dozens of candidates and none stand out from the rest of the field just yet.

If Kamala ran again, along with the expected field of other candidates, I would give her the nod to get his endorsement. But it sounds like she will instead run to be governor of California, so that's unlikely to happen. Maybe Booker has a slight nod above the other potential candidates at this moment, but it's not sizeable enough nor set-in-stone enough to even speculate at this early stage.

[Fiendish Thingy]

38. So, do you think Newsom is a slam dunk to win the SC primary?

If SC voters are impervious to negative information about candidates (not all of which is “bullshit”) as you claim, then who do you think could beat Newsom in the state?

[TnDem]

44. Clyburn

Clyburn didn't endorse Trump in SC and he won the state in 2016 and 2024 by double digits.

I don't think Clyburn's endorsement carries as much weight in SC as the media acts like it does.

[Fiendish Thingy]

46. Well the mythology has it that his endorsement won Biden the SC primary and thus the nomination. Nt

[BannonsLiver]

39. We get it, you're not a fan of Newsom.

No need to keep priming that pump.

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. He won't be the nominee

Murphy and Beshear have better odds IMO.

[LonePirate]

10. It is interesting how a candidate can be deemed too liberal but none are ever deemed too conservative.

Double standard with media framing?

[W_HAMILTON]

14. It should be obvious to all that virtually our entire corporate media has a rightwing Republican bias at this point.

Those still managing to hide it, the mask fully fell off during the lead-up to this past presidential election and afterwards.

[Torchlight]

13. I imagine we'll hear many editorials asserting he can't

the closer he gets to achieving it. I doubt it will be a problem. The "too urbane for weekday Democrats" argument has never really gotten much traction, and for damned good reason.

[jalan48]

15. Since 1960, S Carolina has voted for the Democratic presidential nominee only twice, 1960 and 1976.

Who cares what S Carolina thinks, it's an ultra conservative state.

[fujiyamasan]

18. Not sure how it's really relevant how the state votes in the general election

A large part of the state’s democrats are African American and that happens to be the most loyal demographic to the Democratic Party, so that’s why it was placed so far ahead in the primary schedule.

[W_HAMILTON]

21. It's not about South Carolina -- it's about the black voters that form a majority of Democrats there.

And black voters form one of the largest and most loyal voting blocs of our Democratic Party.

For their Democratic presidential nominee, South Carolina Democrats went for Biden in 2020, Hillary in 2016, Obama in 2008, Kerry in 2004, Gore in 2000, Bill Clinton in 1992 -- and I got tired of looking after that since the point has been made.

Any candidate dumb enough to write off black Democrats in South Carolina will not be our presidential nominee -- period.

[democratsruletheday]

42. exactly...eff s.carolina

beautiful state with lots of idiots in it

[newdeal2]

17. An old demented rapist is President

I think that means every candidate is viable at this point.

[BannonsLiver]

40. Exactly.

Which is why these silly geographical arguments against Newsom are tired, moldy and outdated in the year 2025. Some folks don’t seem to have gotten the memo or use them because they don’t like him.

[maxsolomon]

19. Marin County Hot Tubbers!

Newsom is making an effort, he's smart, and he's got charisma. Most Dems in America already know who he is.

The RW Media's going to smear whoever the Dem nominee is. President Asshole will insult whoever the Dem nominee is every day in 2028.

Newsom versus Vance? I like those odds. Vance is repulsive.

[democratsruletheday]

43. Oh I hear you....

but Trumpler is even more repulsive than Vance and he's won twice

[maxsolomon]

45. Vance has little charisma. Trump has plenty - dark charisma, though.

Vance has got pretty blue eyes and little else.

[peggysue2]

22. What kind of writing is this?

The first paragraph speaks to packed churches, community centers, cafes and whooping crowds, only to contradict all that with the 'laid bare' indications of being hobbled by Democratic sentiment that Newsom's liberal reputation will damage his campaign aspirations.

If I wanted to take a guess this was written by right-wing journo who wants to tarnish a successful sprint through South Carolina while making his bosses happy.

Hummmmm.

Wonder why?



Btw, Rep. Clyburn doesn't appear to be one of those worried Democratic officials. His comment?

"He'd be a hell of a candidate."

[senseandsensibility]

27. Yes, all of the actual reporting and evidence seems to

support enthusiasm for Newsom. The reporter is bringing her "conventional wisdom" into it. I am not necessarily a Newsom supporter, but many of the worries about him could be countered by a unified party. As someone said above, ANY Dem candidate will be smeared 24/7 by maga and we better nominate a real fighter.

[SocialDemocrat61]

24. Politico is trash!

[Kingofalldems]

25. Yeah, nice try.

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Your concern is noted.

n/t

[Norrrm]

29. What country d'ya suppose he will send ex-wife Kimberly to as ambassador? Someplace even further than Greece?

He won't want her back in America.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

32. He should tell South Carolina to get their shit together, lest they be swallowed up like the Biblical "Korah"! LOL.

Korah-lina

[Jack Valentino]

35. It's not as if ANY Democratic presidential nominee is going to win South Carolina

in the general election... If we nominated George Wallace posthumously, he would still lose there.

The only rationalization for South Carolina to have an early spot
in the nominating process of the Democrats, is the large number of African-American voters
being a majority of the Democratic primary voters in that state (as I understand it).

[thebigidea]

37. it's almost as if he realizes he needs to build a coalition to win the nomination

A shame Bernie didn't spend more time in black churches.