California Governor Gavin Newsom making media roundsafter the CNN Presidential Debate.
Columbia, South Carolina – California Governor Gavin Newsom spent Tuesday weaving between small-town diners and church halls in rural South Carolina, part of a carefully staged two-day visit to one of the country’s earliest primary states — and one of the most symbolic for Democrats hoping to rebuild. Along the way, he launched blistering attacks on Donald Trump’s second-term agenda, offered full-throated support for President Biden, and signaled—without quite saying it—that he’s laying the groundwork for a 2028 presidential run.
Speaking in Bennettsville, Newsom was sharply critical of Trump’s presidency, describing the past six months as “alarming” and pointing to a series of crises — immigration raids in Los Angeles parks, the federal response to Texas floods, and divisive rhetoric on race and history — as evidence of what he called a politics of cruelty.
“You have the power to end Donald Trump’s presidency,” Newsom told the crowd, drawing sustained applause. “We’ll have to deal with the tweets, the bullying, but the legislative agenda? It’s over. The future belongs to you.”
The California governor used his Southern tour to position himself as a fighter — not only for the future of the Democratic Party, but also for the ideals of equity, inclusion, and dignity that he said are under siege in Trump’s second term. He described California as “the most un-Trump state” and took aim at what he called the Republican obsession with “anti-woke” politics.
“All I hear is anti-Black,” he said, referring to policies in Florida that seek to rewrite how slavery and Black history are taught. That message landed, particularly with Black voters in attendance — a key constituency in any Democratic primary campaign.
Newsom also leaned into his role as a loyal Biden surrogate, reminding audiences of his support for the president during last year’s turbulent debate cycle, even as questions about the party’s direction lingered. He drew cheers when he mentioned his recent lawsuit against Fox News over misinformation. “Lies. Myths. Misrepresentations,” he said. “That’s what they do. So I sued them.”
Still, Newsom tempered his attacks with moments of unity. “Divorce is not an option,” he said later in the day. “We don’t win by tearing each other down.”
The visit comes as Newsom continues to raise his national profile. His drop-in at a major African Methodist Episcopal summit in Florence added religious leaders to a growing network of potential supporters. His team said the invitation came from a pastor who noticed Newsom at dinner and spontaneously invited him to speak.
While Republican leaders in South Carolina mocked his presence, Newsom’s reception on the ground was notably warmer. Some attendees said they saw in him a candidate for 2028 — or one who should be leading now.
“The way Trump has treated California? Poor Black people in the South, that’s how we’re treated,” said Ken Stroman of Bennettsville. “He gets it.”
