Gavin Newsom goes national, tells fellow Democrats to play 'hardball' with Trump

David Lightman, The Sacramento Bee on Aug 20, 2025

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Gov. Gavin Newsom took his campaign for California redistricting national Wednesday, as he continues to bolster his standing among Democrats around the country — and help his chances of gaining momentum for a White House bid in 2028.

The governor was feisty and statesmanlike as he joined other Democratic officials at a virtual news conference hosted by the Democratic National Committee.

“We’re not going to act as if anything is normal any longer. Yes, we’ll fight fire with fire. Yes, we will push back. It’s not about whether we play hardball anymore,” Newsom said. “It’s about how we play hardball. And California has your back.”

The redistricting brushfire began in Texas, where Republicans have been trying to redraw lines to give the GOP a better chance of winning five more U.S. House seats next year. Democrats need a net gain of three seats to win control of the House.

Newsom fired back, and the state Legislature Thursday could vote to approve legislation that will have voters decide in November whether to redraw California’s lines to give Democrats advantages in five Republican-held districts.

For months leading up to the redistricting push, Newsom has made the traditional moves a presidential candidate makes — setting up fundraising committees, visiting other crucial battleground states and hosting national political players from across the political spectrum on his podcast.

But leading the redistricting effort has so far been the biggest boost to Newsom’s national stature.

Newsom’s momentum

The redistricting battle has been the sort of momentum-builder politicians covet.

Former President Barack Obama praised Newsom at a Martha’s Vineyard fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee Tuesday, Associated Press reported.

“I believe that Gov. Newsom’s approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. We’re not going to try to completely maximize it,” Obama told the Massachusetts gathering.

Wednesday, DNC Chairman Ken Martin opened the news conference by citing others on the call as “brave, courageous leaders.”

“Democrats all over the country are picking up the torch” from Texas, Martin said. “This isn’t just about California. This is national.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, who joked he has known Newsom since “your hair had no gray,” said he was “very psyched to see momentum build.”

Also on the call was Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier. The Democratic lawmaker said she was calling from a restroom at the state Capitol, but at one point had to leave the call because she was being told she was committing a felony. Other details were not clear.

Collier has been staying in the Capitol because Democrats could only leave the building if they agreed to certain terms, including signing a paper saying they would return. Collier refused.

Democratic leaders in states where the party is prominent have talked about new lines, but are often handcuffed by restrictive state laws.

Republicans in some states, though, don’t have those sorts of shackles, and efforts are being seriously discussed in Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Missouri to create GOP-friendly districts.

The 2028 campaign?

Newsom has been gaining in recent polls. A Politico-Citrin-Possibility Lab survey taken July 28 to August 12 showed that, in California, he was ahead of potential contenders with 25%. The Democrats’ 2024 nominee, former California U.S. senator and Vice President Kamala Harris, had 19%.

Republicans have blasted away at Newsom recently, saying his redistricting efforts are a bid to distract from the state’s problems.

“Gavin Newsom failed to solve the homelessness, crime, drug, and cost epidemics plaguing the Golden State. Now he is shredding California’s Constitution and disenfranchising voters to prop up his Presidential ambitions,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

During Wednesday’s news conference, Newsom talked about stakes more crucial than simply redrawing California maps.

“This is a new Democratic Party. This is a new day,” he said. He recited what he called a list of horrors perpetrated by President Donald Trump and how Democrats have to fight back hard.

The California Legislature, Newsom said, is “going to get the job done tomorrow.”

Time to fight, he said, because “it’s about the rule of Don versus the rule of law.”

“There’s a new energy out there all across this country, and we are going to meet fire with fire,” Newsom said. “And I say that as a guy not from a small isolated state, the size of state of 21 state populations combined.”

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